One of the Giants’ first moves of free agency will be the addition of a familiar face. To little surprise, tight end Isaiah Likely will be heading to New York once his new contract is officially in place.
Likely has agreed to a three-year Giants deal, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. The pact has a base value of $40MM and can max out at $47.5MM. Likely will reunite with head coach John Harbaugh after the two worked together in Baltimore for four seasons.
The 25-year-old was considered one of the top tight ends in this year’s class, although his career numbers didn’t necessarily reflect that ranking. Likely mostly played behind Mark Andrews during his time in Baltimore, but he still showed plenty of offensive flashes. He started 17 of his 33 appearances between 2023 and 2024, averaging 36 catches for 444 yards and 5.5 touchdowns per season.
However, thanks in part to Lamar Jackson‘s injury and subsequent late-season struggles, Likely failed to take the step forward that many expected in 2025. The fourth-year player ultimately finished the campaign with career-lows in receptions (27), receiving yards (307), and touchdowns (one).
Now, he’ll be joining his former coach in New York for a potential full-time starting role. Theo Johnson led Giants TEs in snaps last season and will surely be back in 2026 after finishing this past year with 45 catches for 528 yards and five touchdowns. Chris Manhertz is also still around after not missing a game for the Giants over the past two years.
Likely seemed intent to find a starting gig as a free agent, and he was presumably given some assurances about playing time in New York. The Giants also paid him like a starter, with Likely’s new AAV ranking sixth at the position. Still, there’s a scenario where Likely finds himself once again splitting reps at the position.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
I like Isaiah Likely, but I wouldn’t give him this much money. He’s not really an inline tight end at all, and he’s never even had 500 receiving yards in a season. He’s a nice player, but this feels kind of like paying him for the player he theoretically could be rather than anything he’s proven himself to be. A little like the Curtis Samuel trap teams fall in. But I’d love to be wrong. He’s a fun player.
Welcome to Free Agency!
Harbaugh has more information on him than anyone though.
He doesn’t know about size or production we don’t.
I would rather pay for future production than past production. I think it’s been tough (and incredibly frustrating for Likely) having limited opportunities behind Andrews. I suspect they like him more than Theo Johnson and will feature him if they’re giving him this much money.
Those guys can co-exist, too. And Likely may well have his best football ahead of him. I’m just a little bit leery of betting so heavily on it.
Good signing. He wasn’t a TE! in Baltimore, but has the skill set to become one.
Theo Johnson and Likely is a NICE combo.
We should have known this was the likeliest outcome
Say that again
Reminds me of the Vikings signing Josh Oliver. Both TEs show potential, the question is whether it shows up for 17 games and is the money worth it.
Very different skill sets and ceilings though.
Called this as soon as Harbaugh was hired
i like this move. just needs to stay healthy to state the obvious.
Johnson will be their more traditional TE. Likely will become more a receiver moved everywhere.
surprised B’More let him get away
Wow that’s a lot of money not Likely thought that was happening. Crazy. Does this mean Johnson or Bellinger is gone?
LMAO I just saw The Tennessee Giants grab Bellinger
Bellinger signed with Tennessee