The New York Giants first big signing of the 2026 free agency period should have been obvious in retrospect. Former Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely followed John Harbaugh north from Baltimore to East Rutherford.
In doing so, he became the newest weapon for second year quarterback Jaxson Dart, and he could be Dart’s favorite “Go To” option in the Giants’ new offense.
A sure-handed target
The Giants needed to find a dependable option for Jaxson Dart in 2026, as drops have been a significant problem for the offense over the last couple seasons. Wide receiver Malik Nabers was charged with nine drops in 15 games in 2024, while TE Theo Johnson and WR Darius Slayton were each charged with five drops in each of 2024 and 2025.
Likely has been charged with just six drops since 2023, and his drop rate has decreased in each of 2023, 2024, and 2025. Likely is coming off of a down season in 2025 but still reduced his drop rate down to a tiny 2.8% despite doing most of his work down the seams and in the middle of the field.
Motion is on the table
No team used pre-snap motion less than the Giants in 2026, sending a player in motion just 38.7% of the time. The Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs, meanwhile, used motion on 52.1 and 49.5% of the time, respectively.
And if a player was in motion for the Ravens, odds are that it was Likely, who was in motion more than pretty much anyone in the NFL last year.
Motion will go a long way toward helping to simplify the defense for Jaxson Dart as well as changing the math for the Giants’ run game.
Looking for a rebound
As mentioned above, Likely had a down season in 2025, collecting just 27 receptions on 36 targets for 307 yards (11.4 per catch) and one touchdown.
The Ravens as a whole suffered a down season last year, and Likely’s three-year, $40 million contract (that could be worth as much as $47.5 million) shows confidence in Harbaugh and the Giants that Likely will rebound in 2026. Likely’s contract makes him the 13th-highest paid tight end in the NFL, and could also confirm reports that the Giants are planning on using Likely as a moveable piece who can be a big slot or a wide receiver.
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