Going into the thick of the NFL offseason is certainly one of the more entertaining time for fans, and for the Baltimore Ravens, this year is no different. Already, this team has turned over its coaching staff and is now under new leadership behind Jesse Minter.
The post-Harbaugh era begins with some decisions for Minter and general manager Eric DeCosta, and one of those decisions comes by way of a young weapon on offense who is set to hit the free agency market.
Or will he?
After a Bleacher Report post on X, asking where Likely will be playing in 2026, quarterback Lamar Jackson replied by tagging the official Ravens account accompanied by three "praying" emojis and a purple heart.
@Ravens 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾💜
— Lamar Jackson (@Lj_era8) February 24, 2026
The 25-year-old Likely should be one of the more coveted tight ends in this year's free agency class, but it appears that Jackson doesn't want him going anywhere.
Lamar Jackson wants Isaiah Likely back with the Ravens
Things could get tricky for the Ravens, who just signed veteran Mark Andrews to a 3-year extension this past December. They are tied to Andrews' contract through this coming 2026 season, for sure, and could get out of it next offseason if they chose to do so.
But, just because Andrews is locked down doesn't mean Likely cannot be. Plenty of teams use a whole lot of 12 personnel (two tight end sets) and are successful with it. Even teams like the Los Angeles Rams went with 13 personnel (three tight ends) on many occasions and were able to have success, as well.
Today's NFL almost requires you to have two capable tight ends, and that's what the Ravens have had for the past four years.
The Ravens currently have about $22 million in cap space, per Over the Cap, although that could continue changing (and probably will) due to restructures and cuts. It wouldn't be crazy for the Ravens to pay both LIkely and Andrews, considering they've used both on a regular basis.
But, for Likely to get a bag of money would require the Ravens to use him even more. He has a total of 135 career receptions in 63 games and, as a high-upside receiving tight end, he'll need more than than if he's going to fulfill what would be a fairly decent chunk contract.
What would constitute as enough targets and receptions, though? New offensive coordinator Declan Doyle comes from the Chicago Bears which saw Cole Kmet finish with just 30 receptions, last year, as the team's no. 2 tight end behind budding star Colston Loveland.
If Likely were to sign a deal that paid him $10-plus million annually, and he finished with just 30 receptions in 2026, I'd venture to say most fans would call that a significant disappointment.
So, if Jackson wants Likely back in Baltimore, the plan has to shift quite a bit. Likely and Andrews will need to become even more a focal point of the passing game while continuing to lean on Derrick Henry in the back field.
That also brings up the question of whether the Ravens will finally land a true no. 1 wide receiver. If they did, along with re-signing Likely, how do the targets get spread around?
There are a lot of questions to be answered, and soon, but Jackson has made his stance very clear: he wants Likely back.