Isaiah Likely is Wrong Ravens Tight End to Re-Sign

Tight end Isaiah Likely is entering free agency in the 2026 offseason, which is leaving the Baltimore Ravens with a tough decision to make.

He has likely been a very good backup tight end for Mark Andrews, but had an off year with 27 catches for 307 yards and one touchdown; that's his worst statistical season. Even with that bad season, Likely is still expected to be one of the top available tight ends in free agency, which means a big payday coming his way.

There is a lot of debate within the fan base and media on whether the Ravens should consider bringing Likely back on a new deal. New evidence shows why Baltimore is having the wrong conversation and shouldn't really consider re-signing Likely.

Ravens might need to look at the other free agent TE from their team

Pro Football Focus writer Thomas Valentine shared the list of the top 20 graded tight ends in the NFL in 2025. Surprisingly, for the Ravens, Likely and Mark Andrews didn't make the list; the team's top-rated tight end was actually Charlie Kolar, who ranked 10th with a grade of 77.6.

Baltimore Ravens tight end Charlie Kolar | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

"Despite being third on the Ravens’ tight end depth chart, Charlie Kolar still manages to have a positive impact on offense. He’s not a massive contributor in the passing game despite catching a career-high 10 passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns. Where Kolar makes his money is in the Ravens’ excellent running game.

Kolar’s 71.5 PFF run-blocking grade was 15th at his position, with the fourth-year tight end excellent at sealing the edge and allowing Derrick Henry (80.4 grade; 14th) to bounce outside or keep his feet churning north to south. The former fourth-round pick is a free agent this offseason and could make some money as a strong run-blocker."

No one ever really talks about the impact Kolar can have on the Ravens, but he is highly underrated and a player the fan base needs to talk about more often. Kolar has proven that he can help in the passing game and has done a fantastic job of getting the run game going.

With all the focus on Likely, the Ravens should first be prioritizing getting Kolar back, as he helps in more aspects of the offense than Likely does. Baltimore can always move up Kolar to be the backup behind Andrews, and let Likely walk in free agency, as he will command more money than the Ravens would like to pay for him.

If the Ravens really wanted another tight end who might be a better pass catcher than Kolar, they could always look on Day 3 of the NFL Draft to find one. That way, the new tight end can develop while Andrews and Kolar stay at the top of the depth chart.

Of course, the Ravens would love to have Likely back, but they have other needs to address. Watch for Kolar to be one of the first players the Ravens re-sign to help their offense out in the new season.

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