Why Cade Otton May Be a Better Free Agency Fit for Washington Than Isaiah Likely

We’ve been talking about Washington Commanders free agent targets for a while now, and tight end has been one of the most popular positions to discuss. Yet, somehow, we’ve been leaving Cade Otton, the top free agent target in the group, largely absent from those talks.

While popular names like Isaiah Likely (Baltimore Ravens) and even David Njoku (Cleveland Browns) have come up in Commanders conversations, Otton has not, at least not nearly as much.

Even Kyle Pitts (Atlanta Falcons), who we were all pretty sure was getting franchise tagged (which he has been) and would never even sniff a chance at coming to Washington, has been mentioned more.

When Gregg Rosenthal put out his top 101 NFL free agents list, however, it was Otton at the top of the tight end pile, and No. 18 overall, meaning it’s finally time to add the soon-to-be former Tampa Bay Buccaneers player to the mix.

Dec 10, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (88) celebrates after a touchdown catch against the Atlanta Falcons in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Welcome to Cade Otton Island

“Welcome to Cade Otton Island, where you can run any offense you want while never giving an inch in the run game. In our growing two-tight-end world, every NFL team needs an Otton,” Rosenthal said.

And before we move much further, Rosenthal ranked Otton ahead of Pitts, who remains on the list at No. 19 with a note about him being tagged.

But it is a close race, so even if you’re on the Likely train, he comes in as the third-ranked tight end (second among those available) and is No. 20 overall. So it isn’t like we’re talking about Otton at the top and then a mile before the next guy.

The untapped potential of Isaiah Likely

“On the most important snap of Baltimore's 2025 season, Lamar Jackson trusted Likely, who came through with a leaping downfield grab over Jalen Ramsey. (Ravens fans know what happened next.) That catch was a reminder of Likely’s untapped potential, especially now that he's improved his run-blocking ability,” writes Rosenthal.

The difference between Likely and Otton is that one has been the second tight end while he’s improved, and the other has been the primary for much of his career and has proven to be a solid option.

Weighing the floor against the ceiling

While Otton raises the floor of the Commanders’ tight end room if he comes aboard, his ceiling isn’t considered to be nearly as high as Likely’s. Otton is a solid receiver and blocker, but isn’t likely to be projected as a feature player on offense.

Likely continues to grow as a blocker, and while the leap to TE1 for an NFL team would be a big one, his ceiling is attractive.

So, the question is, does Washington general manager Adam Peters want the higher floor for his new offensive coordinator, David Blough, or does he want to take the roll on Likely’s first shot as the primary tight end and trust that his blocking ability will continue to improve?

Your answer to that question will likely impact who you feel is the better option, and Peters’ answer will determine which, if either, target becomes a new Commander in 2026.