The New York Giants got their guy. John Harbaugh is taking over as the head coach and is reportedly inking a five-year deal to lead the charge in New York. It's an exciting time for Giants fans, as Harbaugh is a proven commodity and can instantly turn the Giants into contenders.
Something else that will benefit here is that Harbaugh will be a motivating factor for some of his old connections to come to New York and play for him with his new team. One of those former Harbaugh players who could be interested in joining him in New York is tight end Isaiah Likely.
With Mark Andrews signing an extension with the Ravens in December, Likely is now probably going to be the odd man out there, and the Giants could make sense as a landing spot for him.
John Harbaugh could help the New York Giants bring in Isaiah Likely
Some Giants fans might not be all that interested in the team adding another tight end, given the season that Theo Johnson put together in 2025. Another way of looking at it, though, is that the more receiving threats for Jaxson Dart as he enters a crucial second season, the better. Likely could become an instant red zone threat for Dart, especially if he and Johnson were on the field together at the same time.
Likely, a fourth-round pick by the Ravens in 2022, put together his best season in 2024, tallying 42 receptions for 477 yards and six touchdowns. In comparison, Johnson had 528 yards and five touchdowns for the Giants last year, so Likely would clearly only make the tight end position better.
The big question here will be if other teams value Likely as a TE1 because, if so, he can likely earn more money playing elsewhere. If he has an interest in teaming back up with Harbaugh, though, this could be a move that benefits both sides for sure.
Harbaugh would be able to add a player he's familiar with to his offense and Likely wouldn't have to switch head coaches and could join an up-and-coming team. Win-win.