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Isaiah Likely

Ravens Could Tag TE Isaiah Likely; DT Travis Jones Expected To Draw Strong FA Interest

November 18th, 2025 at 9:57pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Ravens’ 2022 draft class is one of the best in the franchise’s history. First-rounders Kyle Hamilton and Tyler Linderbaum have grown into two of the league’s best players at their respective positions, and several other picks have developed into key contributors, too. Among them are tight ends Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar, defensive tackle Travis Jones, punter Jordan Stout, and right guard Daniel Faalele.

Hamilton is Baltimore’s only 2022 draftee that has been locked up past 2025. The rest are set to hit free agency and could draw significant interest on the open market. Linderbaum, Likely, and Jones are thought to be the team’s priorities, though negotiations with Linderbaum have not progressed during the season.

The Ravens were hoping to extend Likely before the season, but a broken foot suffered early in training camp may have put negotiations on pause. The 25-year-old missed the first three games of the season and has yet to heat up since returning to the field. After averaging at least 20 yards per game in each of his first three seasons, he has cleared that mark in just one game this year.

Volume has never been Likely’s game, though, as he has shared tight end duties with All-Pro Mark Andrews for his entire tenure in Baltimore. In that time, he has been one of the most efficient tight ends in the league, averaging 7.9 yards per target in his career. For comparison, Trey McBride, who reset the positional market via a $19MM per year extension with the Cardinals this offseason, has averaged 7.55 yards per target since he was drafted, like Likely, in 2022.

That could create a standoff between the Ravens and their fourth-year tight end as they try to come to an agreement. If Likely is looking for a McBride-level deal, Baltimore may opt to use the franchise tag, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, locking him in at $15.8MM in 2026. The Ravens have not been afraid to place the franchise tag on key players before, and it is worth noting that their last two tagged players – Lamar Jackson and Nnamdi Madubuike – eventually signed long-term extensions with the team.

While Jones is an excellent defensive lineman, the $25.6MM defensive tackle franchise tag is too high a price given his lack of elite production (five sacks, 13 tackles for loss in 58 games). He may, however, be the best player at his position available and should still have a strong valuation. One comparison, per Fowler, is Dalvin Tomlinson, who received a four-year, $57MM deal when he hit free agency in 2023.

However, though the two players are both primarily run-stuffing nose tackles, their situations appear to be quite different. Tomlinson’s 2023 deal was his third contract, while Jones’ next contract will be his second. Tomlinson also had stronger production in the years before signing that deal relative to Jones, but Jones may have more long-term upside.

Ravens TE Isaiah Likely To Return In Week 4

September 28th, 2025 at 3:20pm CST by Ely Allen

SEPTEMBER 28: The Ravens are banged up at other positions (most notably the defensive line), but they will be at full strength with respect to the tight end spot. Baltimore’s list of inactives for today’s game (h/t Zrebiec) confirms Likely will indeed play.

SEPTEMBER 26: After two weeks of limited practice participation, Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely had his first full practice of the regular season today. Head coach John Harbaugh was judicious with his comments, relaying that Likely “looks good,” but the team will “have to see if it’s the best thing for (them) on Sunday” for Likely to play, per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.

Though, at the moment, they remain undecided, Harbaugh expressed hope that Likely would be able to play on Sunday, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken echoed those sentiments, per Hensley, emphasizing how Likely adds another tool to a potent Ravens offense.

Likely technically runs as TE2 behind veteran Mark Andrews, but each year, he’s shown an ability that could make him a top weapon on many other teams. His presence has been missed, too. Though the Ravens put up 81 points in their first two games, tight ends only accounted for two catches on five targets for seven yards. Andrews and Charlie Kolar got a boost in Week 3, but Likely will add another dynamic to the position group upon his eventual return.

The news is less positive for defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike. After missing last week’s game, Madubuike did not participate in any practices this week as he deals with a neck injury. Harbaugh confirmed that the two-time Pro Bowler would not be available this weekend, per Hensley, and when pushed on his long-term availability, Harbaugh admitted some concern but declined to give any more information until the doctors are able to provide it to him.

Madubuike is a key piece of the Ravens pass rush with 19.5 sacks over the last two seasons. He was certainly missed on Monday as the Ravens failed to amass a single sack for the first time in 57 contests. Another reason for the defense’s struggles getting to the quarterback this past week was the absence of another key pass rusher, Kyle Van Noy.

According to Zrebiec, Van Noy returned to practice on Friday after also missing last week’s game. Van Noy’s career resurgence has seen him collect 21.5 sacks since arriving in Baltimore two years ago. After Madubuike (13.5) led the team in sacks in 2023, Van Noy (12.5) led the Ravens last year. With their two most-recent sack leaders out last week, it’s no wonder they were unable to get to Jared Goff.

Harbaugh said “it would mean a lot” to have Van Noy back on the field this weekend, per Hensley, but like with Likely, they’ll have to wait and see how Van Noy is doing come Sunday. With a matchup that usually sees offensive fireworks and heroics from Patrick Mahomes, the potential additions of Likely and Van Noy could be huge boosts for Baltimore. In the meantime, they’ll continue to gather information on Madubuike’s situation.

Ravens Place DTs Nnamdi Madubuike, Broderick Washington On IR

September 27th, 2025 at 9:25pm CST by Ely Allen

It’s doubly bad news for an already struggling defense. In addition to the semi-expected placement of Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike on injured reserve, Madubuike’s draft classmate Broderick Washington is joining him there. Baltimore will now face a four-game stretch that includes the Chiefs, Texans, Rams, and Bears without two key pieces on their defensive line.

The Madubuike move was semi-expected after head coach John Harbaugh expressed some concern about the two-time Pro Bowler’s long-term availability in a media session yesterday. Now, those concerns have been realized as the veteran lineman will embark on an extended absence with the aim to heal his troubling neck injury. His presence was greatly missed on Monday as the Ravens went sackless for the first time in 57 games without their 2023 team sack-leader.

Things won’t get much better with Washington joining Madubuike on IR because of an ankle injury. The Texas Tech product has not been nearly as productive as his A&M counterpart, Madubuike, but Washington has established himself as a dependable depth piece for Baltimore over six years with the team. Out of a possible 87 career games, Washington has started 22 of 73 game appearances and is usually good for a sack or two per year.

To make matters worse, another starting defensive tackle, Travis Jones, is currently listed as questionable for tomorrow’s trip to Kansas City with an ankle injury, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Playing on the final year of his rookie deal, this could be a big opportunity for Jones to gain some bargaining power for the offseason, but he’ll need to be on the field to make that a reality.

With Madubuike and Washington definitely out and Jones questionable, the Ravens are bringing up three defensive linemen for tomorrow’s game. Veteran lineman Brent Urban will be promoted to the 53-man roster after a short stay on the team’s practice squad. Recent practice squad signee Josh Tupou and C.J. Okoye will join Urban on Sunday, but as standard gameday practice squad elevations, they will revert back to the practice squad after the game.

That still leaves one open slot on the 53-man roster, and the Ravens will utilize it to promote practice squad tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden. This may be additional bad news as there was hope yesterday that Isaiah Likely would be ready to make his 2025 debut tomorrow. This doesn’t necessarily indicate that Likely won’t be available, but it could hint at Baltimore’s confidence in his likelihood to play.

NFL Injury Updates: Penning, Thomas, Seahawks, MNF

September 20th, 2025 at 3:22pm CST by Ely Allen

The Saints have been dealing with multiple injuries on the offensive line this week. In his first season with the team, guard Dillon Radunz has been spot starting in place of presumed starting guard Trevor Penning, who has been dealing with a turf toe injury since the preseason.

Per Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football, Radunz has been ruled out as he deals with a toe injury of his own. Penning, though, may be available to retake a starting spot. The fourth-year lineman hasn’t played yet in 2025, but he returned to practice on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Katherine Terrell.

Formerly the Saints’ starting right tackle, Penning was expected to shift into a starting role on the inside as first-round Texas rookie Kelvin Banks took the starting left tackle job, pushing last year’s first-round rookie left tackle, Taliese Fuaga, to the right side of the line. Penning was a limited participant for the rest of the week of practice, and he’s listed as questionable, but with Radunz out, Penning may be challenged to make his season debut.

Fuaga is also listed as questionable, despite not practicing at all this week as he deals with knee and back issues. Joining Radunz with an out designation is defensive end Chase Young, who like Penning, has not played yet this year.

Here are a few other injury updates from around the NFL:

  • Giants left tackle Andrew Thomas has yet to play in 2025 as he works his way back from a Lisfranc injury from 2024. The veteran lineman is listed as questionable this week and has been rumored as likely to play. He may be able to do so without fully coming back. Per Ryan Dunleavy of New York Post Sports, Thomas hasn’t “ruled out that he could play in a rotation as he works his way back” with a focus on longevity. The team will see how he feels today before making a final decision on his status for tomorrow, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, but the idea of using a rotation to ease him in is seemingly gaining popularity.
  • The Seahawks sustained injuries over the last week to running back Zach Charbonnet, cornerback Devon Witherspoon, and safety Julian Love. There was worry that each player could be out for an extended period of time, but The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar reports that none of the three are being considered for stints on injured reserve. All three, though, are doubtful to play in Week 3.
  • After tight end Isaiah Likely suffered a foot injury in training camp, the Ravens opted not to place him on any injured lists to avoid a guaranteed four-week absence. The 25-year-old returned to practice this week but won’t be active to play on Monday. They’ll likely aim to have him back in time Week 4. Joining Likely as a scratch this week will be defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Madubuike is dealing with a neck injury, and the team is evaluating some symptoms they’ve seen throughout the week to be safe. Sixth-round rookie Aeneas Peebles is likely to get some increased run this week as a result.
  • As for the other Monday Night Football team, the Lions will be without pass rusher Marcus Davenport for their trip to Baltimore, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Davenport declined to give any details about the nature of his injury, but his arm has been seen in a sling. Whatever the situation, head coach Dan Campbell does not see the situation as season-ending.

Bills Place K Tyler Bass On IR

September 5th, 2025 at 5:48pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Bills have placed veteran kicker Tyler Bass on injured reserve, per a team announcement.

Bass was a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice due to a hip/groin issue that will now sideline him for at least four games, including Sunday night’s matchup with the Ravens. Though he has yet to finish a season with a conversion rate above 90%, Bass has been a reliable kicker for his five-year career in Buffalo and hit a career-long 61-yard field goal in 2024.

After Bass went down on Wednesday, the Bills quickly moved to sign Matt Prater to the practice squad as an injury replacement on Thursday. The former Broncos, Cardinals, and Lions kicker missed most of the 2024 season due to a torn meniscus; before that, he made 83.6% of his career field goal attempts, so Buffalo should be able to trust him while Bass is recovering. The Bills can only elevate Prater from the practice squad three times, so they will need to sign him to the active roster if he is going to replace Bass in all four games (and potentially more).

The Bills are also likely to be without veteran cornerback Tre’Davious White on Sunday. He did not practice all week due to a groin injury and is listed as doubtful on the injury report.

The Ravens also ruled out a few key players for Sunday Night Football: fullback Patrick Ricard and tight end Isaiah Likely. Likely is an expected absence as he recovers from preseason foot surgery, while Ricard has missed multiple weeks of practice with a calf injury. Cornerback Jaire Alexander, however, is off the injury report and expected to make his debut in purple and black.

Latest On Ravens’ Recovery Outlooks

September 3rd, 2025 at 12:40pm CST by Ely Allen

September 3: Likely is not expected to play in Baltimore’s regular-season opener against the Bills on Sunday night, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He avoided landing on the IR to start the season, raising hopes that he would be available early in the season. However, his 2025 debut will not come in Week 1, but his recovery is proceeding smoothly.

Cornerback Jaire Alexander is practicing for the first time since August 9 as he dealt with a knee issue, per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. However, fullback Patrick Ricard has been absent since August 14 and seems “highly questionable” to play in Buffalo, per Zrebiec.

August 30: The Ravens have worked to improve how they’re taking care of their players in the offseason and training camp ever since the 2021 season saw them lose Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay, Lamar Jackson, and even their mascot, Poe, to season-ending injuries. They aren’t immune to preseason injuries, though, and a few updates have come through on the injuries Baltimore is dealing with.

Early in the preseason, the Ravens saw rookie sixth-round cornerback Bilhal Kone go down with a season-ending knee injury. At this point, Kone’s now undergone full repairs on the torn ACL and MCL, as well as the lateral meniscus damage. His recovery timeline, per Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, is set to be around 10-12 months. It will be a tough road back for the rookie out of Western Michigan, but barring any setbacks, he should be able to make his NFL debut in 2026.

A player with a much shorter recovery timeline, tight end Isaiah Likely is expected to be back “at some point in the early part of the season,” per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Likely needed surgery for a broken bone in his foot at the beginning of the month. Many expected that he may end up on injured reserve with a designation to return, but the Ravens kept him on the active roster, meaning that they don’t expect Likely to miss the first four weeks of the season.

Zrebiec also gave an update on rookie third-round offensive tackle Emery Jones. He’s starting the season on the reserve/non-football injury list as he recovers from surgery a week after the combine for a shoulder injury that Baltimore knew all about when they drafted him. They’ll allow some time for him to get back in shape once healthy, so there’s no rush, but it sounds like they do expect him to get on the field as a rookie at some point.

Ravens Not Done With Extension Talks; Lamar Jackson, Others On Deck

August 29th, 2025 at 7:38pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens have been busy throughout the offseason getting ahead of future contract decisions by extending key players. While Pro Bowl left tackle Ronnie Stanley was in danger of testing the free agent market when he signed his new deal, other players the team extended this offseason — All-Pro running back Derrick Henry, wide receiver Rashod Bateman, and most recently, All Pro safety Kyle Hamilton — all had one or two years left on their contracts when they signed. Even with all they’ve done so far, the team sees work to be done, and it may begin with their MVP.

All Pro quarterback Lamar Jackson is about to enter the third year of a five-year, $260MM contract. At one point a deal that made Jackson the highest-paid player in NFL history, the contract’s annual average value ($52MM) currently ranks 10th in the league and is beginning to be encroached upon by non-quarterbacks; Micah Parsons‘ new deal is worth $46.5MM per year, which is good for the 12th-highest such average in the NFL. It was reported in March that the Ravens were looking to put together a new deal for their star passer, and by June, talks were already underway.

According to general manager Eric DeCosta, Baltimore isn’t resting on its laurels as extension conversations with Jackson have been “ongoing.” DeCosta declined to go into detail on the situation, confirming with reporters that discussions with his quarterback would remain private.

“I like to work kind of in the dark, quietly, and try to get as much done as we can,” DeCosta told the media (via Ravens staff writer Clifton Brown). “We’ve got a lot of different things going on. We’ve got a lot of really good players; we’ve got players that deserve to be paid well, and we’re trying to keep those guys. Knowing that, as I’ve said 1,000 times, you can’t keep everybody.”

There are plenty of players for Baltimore to target with new contracts. The focus, so far, has been on players with time remaining on their current deals, but center Tyler Linderbaum, defensive tackle Travis Jones, fullback Patrick Ricard, edge rushers Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh, and all three tight ends — Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, and Charlie Kolar — are set to play on contract years.

DeCosta is certainly correct, they can’t keep everybody, but they definitely can’t keep everybody if they allow Jackson to play on a contract that holds a $74.5MM cap hit in 2026, nearly a quarter of the team’s salary cap space for that season. We’ve already discussed in detail how an extension for Jackson may look and how the Bills may have given them the formula for success. Regardless of the details, figuring out what Jackson’s financial future looks like should factor in to how many pending free agents the Ravens can afford to try to retain.

Ravens Set Initial 53-Man Roster

August 26th, 2025 at 8:56pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Every year, the Ravens are one of the last teams to announce their roster moves to get down to 53 players. Finally, via a team press release, Baltimore’s initial 53-man roster is set with the following transactions:

Waived

  • CB Jalyn Armour-Davis
  • WR Jahmal Banks
  • S Beau Brade
  • WR Malik Cunningham
  • G Darrian Dalcourt
  • OL Garrett Dellinger
  • OLB Malik Hamm
  • S Desmond Igbinosun
  • S Keondre Jackson
  • DL Jayson Jones
  • QB Devin Leary
  • OT Gerad Lichtenhan
  • ILB Chandler Martin
  • TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden
  • DL Adedayo Odeleye
  • DL C.J. Okoye
  • G Jared Penning
  • DL C.J. Ravenell
  • CB Marquise Robinson
  • OLB Kaimon Rucker
  • C Nick Samac
  • FB Lucas Scott
  • TE Scotty Washington

Released

Waived with injury settlement

Placed on injured reserve (with return designation)

Placed on reserve/NFI

  • OT Emery Jones

Placed on reserve/PUP

The Ravens opted to keep tight end Isaiah Likely on the 53-man roster after his recent foot surgery, indicating that the team expects him back in the first four weeks of the regular season.

Armour-Davis is Baltimore’s most surprising cut. The 2022 fourth-round pick struggled with injuries across the first few years of his career, but had a solid training camp. Baltimore opted to keep undrafted rookie Keyon Martin instead after an impressive showing in the preseason.

Brade, who made the 53-man roster as a UDFA last year, was beaten out by undrafted rookie Reuben Lowery for the Ravens’ fourth safety spot. Brade, a former University of Maryland standout, is expected to return to the practice squad if he clears waivers, per KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson.

Baltimore is also hoping to bring Lichtenhan, a 6-f0ot-8, 328-pound offensive tackle, back on their practice squad if he sneaks through waivers, according to FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.

Urban will likely re-sign to the Ravens practice squad on Wednesday in a handshake deal after being cut from the active roster.

Isaac and Wade suffered injuries late in training camp and will have to spend the first four weeks of the season on injured reserve. Isaac’s IR placement cleared a spot for David Ojabo to make the roster despite appearing to be on the bubble in the preseason.

Jones has been dealing with a mysterious shoulder injury that required surgery earlier this year. He has yet to hit the practice field as a Raven and will be sidelined for at least four more weeks to start the season.

Ravens Offer Injury Updates On Adisa Isaac, Emery Jones

August 18th, 2025 at 10:12pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh announced (via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic) that second-year edge rusher Adisa Isaac will start the season on injured reserve after undergoing elbow surgery.

Harbaugh previously disclosed that Isaac suffered a dislocated elbow in Saturday’s preseason matchup against the Cowboys, per Zrebiec. The Ravens were hoping that the 2024 third-round pick could contribute to their edge rotation after a hamstring injury as a rookie held him out of spring practices and limited him to four games and 78 total snaps.

Isaac is still expected to play this year and will likely be placed on IR with a designation to return during roster cut-downs next week. That will mandate a four-week absence before he can return to practice, though Harbaugh projected a post-midseason return.

Isaac’s injury could open a roster spot for 2022 second-round pick David Ojabo, who similarly struggled to stay on the field in his first two NFL seasons. Even when he did enjoy an extended stretch of good health in 2024, he only recorded 2.0 sacks and two tackles for loss across 13 games. Ojabo was thought to be on the roster bubble entering training camp, especially since his release would clear $1.8MM of cap space, but he’s now poised to stick around in Baltimore, at least for the start of the season.

Harbaugh also revealed that rookie offensive lineman Emery Jones will not be ready for the start of the regular season. He has been on the non-football injury list since the beginning of training camp after undergoing shoulder surgery earlier this year. Rather than a quick recovery to push for a starting guard job as a rookie, Jones is waiting until he is “fully right” before taking the field.

“That’s the way it should be,” added Harbaugh. “We respect that.” The Ravens can move Jones to the reserve/NFI list during cut-downs, which will sideline him for at least another four weeks.

Jones is the third Ravens draft pick to miss significant time as a rookie. Day 3 cornerback Bilhal Kone and Robert Longerbeam have already landed on season-ending IR with major leg injuries. Kone tore both his ACL and his MCL, while Longerbeam sustained a torn patella tendon, according to FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz. Harbaugh declined to confirm Schultz’s report on August 11, but confirmed that the rookie corner would undergo surgery.

With their cornerback depth taking a hit in training camp, the Ravens hosted eight-year veteran Kyle Fuller for a workout on Sunday, per KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson. Fuller hasn’t played since 2022, when he earned a starting job in Baltimore’s defense but tore his ACL in Week 1.

Harbaugh was less forthcoming when asked about Isaiah Likely. The fourth-year tight end is coming off minor foot surgery with a tight recovery window before the Ravens’ regular-season opener against the Bills. Accordingly, Harbaugh offered a vague answer when asked about Likely’s Week 1 availability, saying (via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley) that he “might want to keep [Buffalo] guessing a little bit.”

Ravens Hoping To Extend Kyle Hamilton, Tyler Linderbaum, Isaiah Likely Before End Of Season

August 12th, 2025 at 10:28pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Ravens made a whopping 11 selections during the 2022 NFL Draft, nine of which are still in Baltimore and eligible for a contract extension.

First-round picks Kyle Hamilton (No. 14 overall) and Tyler Linderbaum (No. 25 overall) have emerged as priorities for the Ravens, along with fourth-rounder Isaiah Likely. The team is working on extensions for all three players and would like to get deals done before the end of the 2025 season, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano.

Hamilton will be the most expensive. The All-Pro will likely get a significant raise over the top of the safety market, which reached $21.25MM with Kerby Joseph‘s deal this offseason. The Ravens picked up Hamilton’s fifth-year option in May, locking him in for $18.6MM in 2026 and giving them an extra year to reach an agreement. They could even tag him in 2027 if necessary, but with considerable money committed for the team’s other stars – including $74.5MM for Lamar Jackson in 2026 and 2027 – an extension for Hamilton would help ease the immediate cap burden.

The Ravens declined Linderbaum’s fifth-year option, not because they didn’t want to keep him, but because the NFL groups all offensive linemen together when calculating fifth-year options and franchise tags. Linderbaum would have been owed $23.4MM in 2026, more than $5MM above Creed Humphrey‘s $18MM APY at the top of the center market. A tag is out of the question for the same reason, giving the Ravens six months to extend Linderbaum.

General manager Eric DeCosta hasn’t shied away from making the team’s star players the NFL’s highest-paid at their position, but the cap has gone up significantly since Humphrey signed his extension. Accordingly, Linderbaum may be seeking upwards of $19MM per year. The Ravens will be hoping that the potential for a hefty signing bonus will incentivize their Pro Bowl center into putting pen to paper on an affordable contract before he hits free agency.

Likely has emerged as an ascending offensive weapon, a favorite target of Jackson’s, and a clear successor to Mark Andrews in the team’s tight end room. The Ravens may want to make sure that his recovery from foot surgery goes smoothly before finalizing an extension. Likely’s market has been clarified by Jake Ferguson‘s $12.5MM APY deal with the Cowboys. Ferguson has more targets, receptions, and yards due to his undisputed TE1 status in Dallas in the last two years, but Likely has been significantly more efficient and effective in the red zone while playing behind Andrews in Baltimore.

The 25-year-old may not be able to break into the highest tier of tight end contracts without a full year as a starter, but he could come in around $14MM per year, which happens to be the same amount that Andrews commanded on his second contract.

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