The New England Patriots clinched a playoff berth with a 28-24 win over the Baltimore Ravens on SNF, a huge victory that will see them return to the postseason for the first time since 2021. With two games left, they control their own destiny in the division, with the opportunity to take the AFC East crown from Buffalo for the first time since 2019.
New England had their struggles defensively. Derrick Henry rushed for over 100 yards and two touchdowns on 7.1 yards per carry, while Ravens quarterbacks combined for an 80% completion rate. John Harbaugh's questionable decision to pull Henry from the offense completely during their final two possessions in the end gave New England the upper hand.
Covering tight ends has been a major issue for the defense all season, but the defense was able to handle the production from the Ravens' room on Sunday: tight ends combined for just three catches and 39 yards. Surprisingly, the sure-handed Isaiah Likely was not only left without a catch but without a target in the matchup.
A free agent at the end of the year, his lack of production didn't give Patriots fans the chance to properly scout the ex-Coastal Carolina player.
Isaiah Likely would be an excellent addition to New England's offense
The Patriots' offense, led by Josh McDaniels, often employs 12 personnel, or two-tight end sets. It leads to mismatches with linebackers, allowing easy throws for Maye down the seam, and flexibility to audible into a running play. At the moment, Hunter Henry serves his purpose as a safety blanket for Maye and is under contract for 2026, but the same can't be said for Austin Hooper.
Hooper has just 18 catches this season for 247 yards despite playing more than 50% of snaps in all but one game this year. Bringing him back on a one-year deal this offseason made plenty of sense: he worked with McDaniels in Las Vegas and had 45 catches last year, his highest total since 2020. At 31 and only somewhat productive, upgrading at the TE2 spot seems inevitable.
Bringing back Hooper for one more season and drafting his successor in the mid-rounds of the draft is a legitimate option, but free agency could also be an option.
Isaiah Likely spent his college days at Coastal Carolina, where he was a very effective player for the Chanticleers. He had 59 catches for 912 yards and 12 touchdowns during his final season, including a 99-yard touchdown. He was taken by the Ravens in the fourth round back in 2022 and has been a solid option behind Mark Andrews ever since.
He's having the worst season of his career in 2025, having caught just 22 balls for 248 yards and a touchdown. He's had at least 30 catches, 400 yards, and 5 touchdowns in each of the last two seasons.
Likely will become a free agent soon and the Patriots should pounce on the chance to sign him
While the Ravens will be interested in seeing him return, it may not make much sense for them to overextend themselves for the 25-year-old. Tyler Linderbaum, Dre'Mont Jones, Alohi Gilman, Chidobe Awuzie, Kyle Van Noy, and DeAndre Hopkins are all set to hit the open market, and the Ravens have just over $17 million in effective cap space, 16th in the league.
The medical retirement of star defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike could offer some cap relief, but bringing back Likely isn't likely (wink) to be their first priority. Work in the fact that Charlie Kolar could be re-signed for far cheaper, and the tight end won't likely spend much longer in Maryland.
The backup tight end market has exploded in recent years. Luke Farrell inked a three-year deal worth up to $20 million with the Niners after having 34 catches in his four years with the Jaguars. Josh Oliver had 26 catches in three years and went for $7 million a season, and Charlie Woerner was paid $4 million a season by the Falcons after having 11 catches in four years.
Likely's market will be that of a starting tight end, in the range of $10-12 million per season. With the amount New England uses two tight end sets, he's certainly worth a look. The draft will be a place New England may want to look for a cheaper option, but it's hard to imagine they'll find someone better than likely straight off the bat, except for Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq.
Come the offseason, expect Isaiah Likely to be atop the free agency big board for tight ends, and New England to be a team very much in the running for his services.