John Harbaugh has brought four of his former Baltimore Ravens players to the New York Giants. What does each bring? Nikhil Mehta of SB Nation’s Baltimore Beatdown joined the ‘Valentine’s Views’ podcast to answer that, and more.
Here is some of our conversation.
‘More meat on the bone’ for Isaiah Likely
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Mehta and I discussed whether Likely’s three-year, $40 million contract was an overpay, and whether or not his production (a career-best 42 season in four years with the Ravens) could rise with the Giants.
Mehta gave a lengthy answer. Below is part of it.
“Is there more meat on the bone? God, yes. There is so much potential that Isaiah likely has,” Mehta said. “Forty million over three years is is a lot of money for a guy who doesn’t have that high-end volume production. But I also think that you’re kind of projecting that he is going to get the tight end one-level targets.
“I also think that he could he could very easily establish himself as a top 10 tight end this year, could grow into a top five tight end. I really do think the sky is the limit for Isaiah Likely.”
Mehta admitted, though, that the contract will seem like an overpay until Likely puts up the numbers to justify it.
“It will feel like an overpay until he’s producing on the field and he will need to be able to bring his efficiency with higher volume. And that’s not something that always translates,” Mehta said. “But, man, if there’s a player I think I believe in out of the ones the Giants signed to really take more steps forward, it’s Isaiah Likely. Great player, good personality, loved in the locker room as well.”
Is punter Jordan Stout worth the money?
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The Giants gave Stout a market-setting three-year, $12.3 million contract. I did not get the rining endorsement of that move from Mehta that I expected.
“I’m not sure Jordan Stout is worth that kind of money,” Mehta said. “He’s coming off of one really, really good season as a former fourth-round pick. Took him a couple years to put it together. I can see him being able to be one of the best punters in the league consistently, but consistency was a huge issue for him through his career. So, it’s hard for me to look at his 2025 season and say he’s going to be able to repeat this every year.
“He is a very good punter. He is a very good holder. He’s going to bring value. I’m just not sure he’s going to put up a top five punterseason, top 10 punter season that consistently.”
Patrick Ricard and the Harbaugh way
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“I don’t know how much [offensive coordinator] Matt Nagy uses fullbacks in his offense. From what I can tell, he hasn’t historically,” Mehta said. “But Ricard also functions like a sixth offensive lineman sometimes with a little bit more mobility and and I think there are some ways to use him a little bit more creatively. I’m curious to see if Nagy pulls that out.
“The other thing is that he is another one of those guys, a veteran leader, a guy who is liked and respected in the locker room. And I think you hit it exactly on the head in terms of bringing that physicality and letting his new teammates know like, hey, this is what your head coach expects.”
Related
Ar’Darius Washington: Just a depth piece?
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Washington, a safety, is the least known of the former Ravens who are now Giants. He was a backup safety with Baltimore. Can he be more than that?
“He definitely could be more than just a depth piece,” Mehta said. “Washington going to New York is no surprise. Harbaugh’s always talked about really liking Washington and the effort and the intensity he brings. I think the thing that they said was it’s not about the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog. And that is describing Ar’Darius Washington to a T.
“I think that he has probably a better chance of carving out a role in New York than he would if he stayed in Baltimore … Washington has experience lining up in the box for the Ravens. he’ll line up in the slot, he’ll line up as a free safety. And so I think that versatility, the relationship with Harbaugh, and the fact that when he’s on the field, he’s a playmaker and he flies to the ball, if he can stay healthy, I can very much see him carving out a role as like the number six defensive back in their secondary.”
[NOTE: There is much more to our conversation. Click the player above to listen]
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