The Giants Likely Get a Steal with the Signing of Isaiah Likely

The New York Giants may have quietly made one of the most intriguing offensive additions of the offseason by signing tight end Isaiah Likely to a three-year, $40 million contract. While the move hasn’t generated the same national attention as some of the blockbuster deals around the league, there is a strong argument that the Giants may have secured tremendous value if Likely reaches the potential many believed he had when he entered the NFL.

Grade: B+

At first glance, the signing makes perfect sense. Likely is joining a coaching staff led by John Harbaugh, who is very familiar with his skill set from their time together in Baltimore. NFL coaches often gravitate toward players they have previously worked with because they understand how to utilize them and what they bring to the locker room. That familiarity can accelerate a player’s transition into a new system and increase the likelihood of success.

Still, the move comes with a degree of uncertainty.

Throughout his four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, Likely showed flashes of being a dangerous receiving tight end, but he never fully established himself as a primary offensive weapon. One of the biggest reasons was the presence of Mark Andrews, one of the most productive tight ends in the NFL. With Andrews firmly entrenched as Baltimore’s No. 1 option at the position, Likely often found himself playing a secondary role in the offense.

That limited opportunity makes evaluating Likely’s true potential somewhat difficult.

Last season, Likely finished with 27 receptions for 307 yards across 14 games. Those numbers were modest, especially for a player expected to become a major offensive contributor. Advanced metrics reflected those struggles. Among tight ends who ran at least 200 routes, Likely ranked in the 37th percentile in yards per route run, a measure of how productive a player is each time he runs a route. His 16 percent target rate ranked in the eighth percentile, suggesting he simply was not a primary focal point in the Ravens passing attack.

However, those raw numbers do not tell the entire story.

One encouraging indicator comes from ESPN’s receiver tracking metrics. Likely posted an open score of 58, which is considered above average for the position. That statistic measures how frequently a player creates separation from defenders. In other words, Likely was getting open more often than his target numbers would suggest.

That raises an interesting question: was the lack of production due to an inability to create opportunities, or was it simply a product of Baltimore’s offensive structure?

In addition, Likely’s 2025 season began under difficult circumstances. A foot injury forced him to miss the first three games of the year, which limited his ability to develop early-season rhythm and chemistry within the offense.

Looking back one season earlier paints a more optimistic picture.

During the 2024 season, Likely posted 1.8 yards per route run, a number that placed him in the 78th percentile among tight ends. That type of efficiency demonstrates the type of impact he can have when he is healthy and involved in the offense. His 64 open score that season also showed his ability to consistently separate from defenders.

Those numbers suggest that Likely’s ceiling is significantly higher than his most recent stat line indicates.

For the Giants, the signing represents both an opportunity and a calculated gamble. Tight ends are notorious for developing later than players at many other positions. It is not uncommon for players at the position to take several seasons before fully reaching their potential due to the complexity of the role, which requires mastering both blocking assignments and route-running responsibilities.

The Giants are clearly betting that Likely’s best football is still ahead of him.

New York also had a clear need at the position. The incumbent starter, Theo Johnson, struggled to make a consistent impact last season. According to ESPN’s receiver evaluation metrics, Johnson posted the lowest overall score among tight ends, and his 9.5 percent drop rate was the worst at the position. That lack of reliability made it difficult for the Giants offense to depend on him in critical situations.

Likely immediately provides an upgrade in terms of athleticism and receiving ability.

At his best, he is a dynamic pass-catching tight end capable of stretching the field down the seam and creating mismatches against linebackers and safeties. His ability to line up in multiple formations also gives the Giants offensive staff greater flexibility when designing plays.

The financial commitment also reflects a reasonable level of caution.

At $40 million over three years, the Giants are paying starter-level money without taking on the type of long-term financial risk associated with elite tight end contracts. If Likely blossoms into the type of player many scouts once believed he could become, the deal could quickly look like a bargain.

Ultimately, the success of this signing will depend on opportunity. In Baltimore, Likely was often a complementary piece behind one of the league’s best tight ends. In New York, he will likely have a legitimate chance to become the primary tight end in the offense.

If he can take advantage of that opportunity, the Giants may end up with one of the more underrated signings of the offseason.