High recognition for the Ravens’ tight end duo of Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely
For the past few seasons, the Baltimore Ravens’ tight end room has been widely considered one of the league’s best cores at the position. Led by Mark Andrews and 2022 draft picks Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar, the Ravens have a well-rounded group.
Andrews has been well-established as an elite tight end in the NFL for several years now and Likely is beginning to emerge as a rising star. In PFF’s recent Top 32 tight end rankings ahead of the 2025 season, both players were listed in the Top 10. Andrews was ranked No. 4 and Likely came in at the No. 9 spot.
For comparison, in PFF’s 2024 rankings last year Andrews ranked No. 3 and Likely ranked much further down at No. 26.
“While the final impression Andrews left in last season’s playoffs was not good, he remains one of the best tight ends in the NFL when healthy” wrote PFF’s John Kosko. “Andrews entered the NFL and shined in a limited role as a rookie and has not posted a sub-80.0 regular-season PFF overall grade since.”
As Kosko notes, Andrews’ 2024 season ended on a sour note. His crucial lost fumble and dropped two-point conversion pass in the fourth quarter of the Ravens’ playoff loss in Buffalo were memorable for the wrong reason. That translated into an offseason full of trade rumors and speculation that the Ravens could look to move on from him.
Despite diminished vibes, Andrews is still a high-level contributor and important piece in the team’s offense. While his 55 receptions and 673 receiving yards were the lowest in a 14+ games played season since his rookie year, he recorded a career-high 11 touchdown catches.
His 11 scores last season gave him 51 total for his career, which made him the team’s all-time touchdown leader in franchise history. Andrews is still a valuable security blanket for Lamar Jackson, although the latter is not quite as reliant on him anymore as the Ravens have more options in the passing game.
One of those options is Likely, who is coming off career-best campaign in his third career season.
With Mark Andrews struggling to return from injury at the beginning of the 2024 season, Likely stepped up to provide a security blanket for Lamar Jackson and the Ravens’ offense” Kosko wrote. “As Andrews worked his way to 100%, Likely became less of a focal point but still showcased true top-tier skills and talent at the position, earning a career-high 77.0 PFF receiving grade in 2024.”
To Kosko’s point, Likely’s production leveled off as the regular season progressed and Andrews re-acclimated himself returning from injury. However, he particularly began and ended the year with a bang. In Week 1, Likely caught nine passes for 111 yards and a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs. He was the team’s leading receiver in the playoffs and recorded 73 yards with a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills in Round 2.
For the season as a whole, Likely posted career-highs in receptions (42), receiving yards (477), and touchdown catches (six). He showcased elite athleticism and receiving abilities in key spots while also improving significantly as a run-blocker and pass-blocker. These efforts contributed to him making a 15-spot jump in PFF’s rankings.
Expectations are now higher for the former fourth-round pick entering 2025. Head Coach John Harbaugh even said recently that he wants Likely to become an All-Pro player, which could signal that his offensive role will continue to increase in a big way this coming season.
Whether that spells a decreased role for Andrews remains to be seen, but both players have proven they can co-exist as a premier tight end duo in the team’s passing attack regardless.