It was the kind of moment that doesn’t just haunt a game—it echoes through a depth chart. Midway through the fourth quarter of the Ravens‘ divisional clash, with tension climbing and Baltimore driving, Lamar Jackson zipped a third-down dart to his most trusted target. The pass was there. The defender wasn’t. But the ball bounced off Mark Andrews’ hands—one of the most costly drops of the postseason. The drive stalled. The comeback never materialized. And for the first time in years, a question many had quietly whispered grew louder: what if the tight end Lamar could count on… wasn’t Andrews anymore?

The Ravens TE room is quietly brewing one of the NFL’s most fascinating power shifts. Mark Andrews has been Lamar Jackson’s security blanket for years, but Isaiah Likely isn’t waiting for his turn anymore. The 2022 fourth-rounder keeps turning flashes into consistency—career-highs in catches (42), yards (477), and touchdowns (6) last year proved he’s more than just a fill-in.

When Andrews was sidelined at times, Likely looked like the guy. ESPN’s Field Yates sees the trajectory pointing straight up, “I think there’s a chance we’re talking about Isaiah Likely as one of the eight or 10 best tight ends in football in the next couple of years.” High praise, but not unfounded.  Now, the Ravens face a financial tightrope. Locking Likely down long-term seems obvious, but what’s the price?

The contract chatter around Isaiah Likely just got real, and the numbers might surprise you. One insider dropped a bombshell about how his next deal might look shockingly small compared to the league’s elite. On Locked On Ravens, Kevin Oestreicher broke down why the rising tight end’s next deal could look like a steal. NFL insider Ian Rapoport fueled the fire first, “I know the Ravens really see him as the future of the tight end position.”

Oestreicher ran with it, crunching the math. While George Kittle tops the market at $19.1M annually, Likely’s projected “3 for $30M” extension would barely crack the top-10 TE paydays. The Ravens have goldmine potential here. Isaiah’s arc says it all—from Day 3 pick to 2024 career highs (42 catches, 477 yards, 6 TDs) while sharing snaps with Andrews. At 25, he’s still ascending. Oestreicher’s take? “I’d take Isaiah Likely over every single player” in the $9M–$12M tier (think Schultz, Engram, Goedert). But timing matters.

Andrews’ shadow looms, but Likely’s ready. His Coastal Carolina pedigree—912 yards as a senior—shows he’s always grown into the spotlight. Now, with free agency looming in 2026, the Ravens face a choice. Pay the future now, or gamble on letting the two-star TE walk. 

The Kittle-Likely contract chasm

George Kittle’s record-shattering $19.1M-per-year deal just reset the tight end market. And it makes Isaiah Likely’s looming extension look like pocket change by comparison. The 49ers star didn’t just cash in; he’s campaigning for the entire position to get paid, telling The Dan Patrick Show, “The only way for the tight end market to grow is if everybody’s getting paid… I want Brock Bowers going for over $20 M in three years.”

But in Baltimore, the math tells a different story. Even if Likely lands Justin Melo’s projected “$14.5 M per year” deal—which would make him the NFL’s fifth-highest-paid TE—he’d still earn $4.6M (24%) less annually than Kittle. That gap isn’t just about talent; it’s about timing. Kittle’s deal reflects peak value: a 30-year-old All-Pro with 4,500+ career yards and a Super Bowl pedigree.

Isaiah? He’s still proving himself. His 1,261 yards and 14 TDs through three seasons pale next to George’s early career explosions. But here’s where Baltimore wins: They’re buying before the breakout. At 25, with elite blocking chops and chemistry with Lamar Jackson, Likely’s “$14.5M” could age like fine wine. Compare that to Kittle’s deal, which pays him like today’s superstar, while Isaiah’s contract bets on tomorrow’s.

The Ravens also hold leverage that Andrews never did. When Andrews signed his $14M-per-year deal in 2021, he was already Lamar’s top target. Isaiah’s still the understudy—for now. But as Kittle noted, rising tides lift all boats. If Likely explodes for 800+ yards this season, that $14.5 M becomes a discount next to Kittle’s mammoth deal. And with Andrews likely walking in 2026? Baltimore is saving millions while securing their future.

Kittle wants the TE market to soar. The Ravens just want to fly under it.