Baltimore Beatdown
Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely is expected to make his 2025 season debut in Week 4 against the Chiefs, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Likely suffered a broken foot early in training camp that required surgery. The Ravens opted not to put him on injured reserve in the hopes that he would be ready to play within the first four weeks of the year. If on IR, Likely would have been ineligible to even practice until after Week 4; instead, he was able to ramp up over the last two weeks to reach full participation on Friday, setting him up to play on Sunday. He is officially listed as questionable.
Baltimore’s offense has not struggled without Likely. The unit entered Week 4 leading the league in points per game while averaging the second-most yards per play. However, the fourth-year tight end could still provide a boost in two key ways.
First, Likely is a more dynamic receiving threat than Charlie Kolar, who has not stepped up as a pass-catcher in his teammate’s absence. Likely’s chemistry with Lamar Jackson and contested-catch ability would be particularly useful when Jackson needs to get rid of the ball, which was a major issue against the Lions.
Second, Likely’s prowess as a run-blocker, especially out in space, can help a Ravens rushing attack that has been stifled in the last two games. Jackson has been effective on the ground against the Chiefs in the past, and Likely has made some of his best blocks leading the way for his quarterback.
The Ravens will probably keep Likely on a snap count on Sunday, but he might be ready for a full workload after two weeks of practice. A cautious approach still feels like the best play here. If Likely looks (and feels) good in the first half, he could see more snaps in the second half and potentially provide a spark for the offense down the stretch.
