One year ago, it seemed like the Baltimore Ravens and Isaiah Likely were closing in on a new contract extension that would have paid him big money and kept him in Baltimore for a long time.
One year later, Likely got his big-money deal — just not from the Ravens — after signing a 3-year, $40 million free agent contract with the New York Giants and former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh that could be worth up to $47.5 million with incentives.
Likely flashed big-time playmaker potential during his 4 seasons with the Ravens, which Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton thinks he’ll finally be able to tap into as the featured tight end for the Giants, putting the Coastal Carolina product at the top of his list of NFL players who could have breakout seasons with their new teams in 2026.
“Likely will have competition for targets if Malik Nabers takes on a full workload after missing 13 games with a torn ACL last season,” Moton wrote. “That said, New York didn’t re-sign high-volume receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, who saw 140 targets in each of the previous two campaigns. Also, new Giants receiver Darnell Mooney has seen more than 72 targets in a season once over the last four years. Of course, quarterback Jaxson Dart must develop from the pocket to elevate his pass-catchers, though Likely will be a big 6’4″, 241-pound target who’s hard to miss in the seams and over the middle.”
Harbaugh was hired by the Giants shortly after the Ravens fired the Super Bowl-winning head coach after 18 seasons. The Ravens entered 2025 as Super Bowl contenders and went 8-9, missing the playoffs with a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the regular-season finale.
Ravens Paid Big Money for Isaiah Likely’s Potential
Likely’s payday is even more surprising when you look at his numbers — just 27 receptions for 307 yards and 1 touchdown in 2025.
According to one NFL insider, the Giants signing Likely could end up being a huge mistake — the opposite of Moton’s prediction.
The 2025 season was supposed to be when Likely had his breakout year, but one broken foot and one miserable, mistake-filled season later, and he’s with a different team.
Andrews, on the flip side of that, played his way into a 3-year, $39.2 million contract extension he signed on December 3.
Isaiah Likely Made 2 Massive Late-Season Mistakes
Former Ravens tight end and Super Bowl champion Dennis Pitta called Likely on the carpet for those mistakes — ones that cost the Ravens games late in the year.
First, a fumble while crossing the goal line that cost the Ravens a touchdown in a Week 13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Just 1 week later, a dropped pass in the end zone in a Week 14 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“(Against the Bengals) he was nonchalant about the ball as he’s going to score a touchdown, where if he just holds onto the ball his whole body is going to land in the end zone, anyways,” Pitta said on December 10. ” … then (against the Steelers) he reached out, caught it and kept it out, where he could have easily caught it, brought it in and secured the catch instead of doing that.”
