The Baltimore Ravens might have just handed the New York Giants their next great offensive superstar on a silver platter. While Big Blue fans are buzzing over a revamped offense, folks in Charm City are left scratching their heads over a potentially disastrous offseason blunder.
The Ravens essentially gave up on a 26-year-old up-and-coming tight end to stick with a seemingly declining, soon-to-be 31-year-old Mark Andrews, whose best days are doing their best Doug MacRay (from The Town) "I'm putting this whole town in my rear view" impression.
Baltimore’s loss is Big Blue's gain. By giving Isaiah Likely a three-year, $40 million deal, the G-Men are setting him up perfectly to explode in an offense that desperately needs a multi-dimensional weapon. Plus, the familiarity is already there with head coach John Harbaugh now in East Rutherford, too.
With Matt Nagy calling the plays alongside Harby, it's impossible not to see the vision. Think Travis Kelce 2.0. Nagy knows how to use athletic tight ends, and Likely is stepping into the perfect situation to become the NFL's next elite game-changer at the position.
That's why it comes as no surprise that The Athletic's Dan Duggan recently labeled the former Coastal Carolina standout as New York's likeliest breakout candidate:
"No one batted an eye at the Giants making Likely the fourth highest-paid tight end in the league because his receiving talent is evident. ... Now Likely is the Giants’ unquestioned No. 1 tight end after following Harbaugh from Baltimore, and the team needs his production to match his compensation."Dan Duggan
Isaiah Likely is ready to explode in the jumbo slot role with Giants
The blueprint for Likely’s success is already made. Just last year, 5-foot-8 gadget receiver Wan’Dale Robinson thrived working out of the slot. He became a massive security blanket for Jaxson Dart, who spent his entire rookie season without many reliable options. Now, imagine replacing his undersized stature with a 6-foot-4, 245-pound one that moves like a wideout.
Likely is set to benefit from Robinson's departure, giving Dart a massive target over the middle of the field. With defenses already losing sleep over how to keep Malik Nabers in check, Likely is going to feast on linebackers, nickel corners, and safeties who simply can't match his size-speed combo.
But if we're operating in the trust tree, this is a whole lot of projection. Likely has never been a featured weapon, and the G-Men are expecting him to become something he hasn't yet proven consistently. His $40 million price tag says it all. But the opportunity is his for the taking, and in the NFL, you can never say never.
And if he can figure it out and become a fixture in North Jersey, it will be another blow to a Flock Nation fanbase that's looking to get over its recent hump.
While the Ravens doubled down on an aging Andrews, the Giants banked on a young mismatch nightmare. Dart needed a physical, reliable safety valve to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump, and his new tight end has the perfect stage to prove he was worth every penny.
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