Will Likely Become the Ravens’ Tight End One?
In the Ravens’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday there were many points left on the field that loyal fans could have complained about. The Ravens kept the game close and if some of the team’s stars had stepped up at the right time, they would have had the chance to tie and even win the game. There was one big positive observation that should not be overlooked. The tight-end battle for the Ravens is definitely in full effect between Isaiah Likely and Mark Andrews. The game on Thursday night was the first time we have seen them both fully healthy and in full action together.
For the past few years, Mark Andrews has continuously been seen as a top-five tight end in the NFL. He has been a large contributor over these years and one of the main reasons the Ravens have had the success they have had in the AFC North. In 2023, Andrews averaged close to four catches a game and 12.1 yards a game before he got hurt in November during a Thursday Night Football clash with the Cincinnati Bengals. The Ravens would be without their top tight end but that is where Likely would step up.
Isaiah Likely put up a very solid rookie campaign in 2022 where he averaged 10.4 yards on 36 receptions. In his sophomore season, he did not see a lot of action being behind Mark Andrews. When Andrews went down due to injury in late November, Likely stepped up to be the new tight end one for the rest of the season. We saw a big jump in his production but he didn’t have any outstanding games. This all changed in the Ravens’ season opener. Likely stepped up and looked like a true number-one tight end by having nine receptions on 12 targets for 111 yards. Likely’s success, unfortunately, meant fewer passes to Mark Andrews, leaving him with only two receptions for 14 yards.
That leaves the question, will Likely eventually overtake Mark Andrews and become the Ravens’ number one tight end this season? It is definitely too early to count Mark Andrews out entirely. It was the worst season-opening game of his career, but it was also his first regular season game since recovering from his injury. It is very important to note that the Ravens are willing and wanting to use Likely. On the last play of the game, he got the ball in his hands and missed the game-tying touchdown by half an inch in the endzone. I do believe that by the end of the season, Likely could very well be slotted in as the starting tight end. His receiving ability has the possibility to be among some of the best in the league. Mark Andrews is still a great tight end, but the better move by the end of the season may be using the younger Likely as the go-to receiving tight end.
