Isaiah Likely playing himself into a featured role in the Ravens offense

The Baltimore Ravens have a gem of a pass-catcher in rookie Isaiah Likely, who could feasibly earn a featured role in the offense by midseason.

The 2022 fourth-rounder is coming off a fantastic performance against the Arizona Cardinals in which he recorded eight catches for 100 yards and a touchdown on just 15 snaps.

Likely and quarterback Tyler Huntley made quite the dynamic duo in Baltimore’s exciting victory, and many fans were left with a sense of awe surrounding Likely’s potential in the Ravens’ offense this year.

Earlier this summer, Baltimore opted against drafting a wide receiver and instead selected two promising pass-catching tight ends, Likely and Charlie Kolar.

While Kolar may require more time to develop in the system, Likely already possesses the athletic traits, tactical understanding, and sure hands to succeed at the pro level.

His insanely productive game against the Cardinals wasn’t a fluke, either, as Likely has been setting a new bar for Ravens rookies so far this preseason.

Ravens’ Isaiah Likely primed to win a significant role in the offense in 2022

It’s only preseason, but Likely has already forced nine missed tackles and earned a 94.1 receiving grade on Pro Football Focus, the best among all players.

The young tight end may not serve as the catch-all solution to the Ravens’ current receiver shortage, yet he’s making an airtight case for himself as a starting-caliber member of the offense.

Baltimore recently signed veteran Demarcus Robinson to add much-needed experience to their receiver room, but heading into 2022, the hole Marquise Brown left behind earlier this offseason remains noticeable.

Ever since Mark Andrews joined the Ravens, though, the tight end corps has become the bread and butter of Baltimore’s passing attack, and that could continue to be the case with the timely rise of Isaiah Likely.

If Likely can generate as much chemistry with Lamar Jackson as he did with Huntley, the Ravens suddenly have another elite pass-catcher to integrate into their offensive unit.

After Likely’s glittering Week 2 preseason performance, he’s not only won a roster spot but a potential starting spot on the field alongside Andrews, as it wouldn’t come as a surprise if Baltimore were to roll out more multiple-tight end sets during the regular season.

Compared to the relatively modest and predictable signing of Demarcus Robinson, Isaiah Likely gives the Ravens one more reason to get excited about their new-look passing offense and could turn into a truly underrated star in 2022.