It wasn’t a surprise when John Harbaugh started bringing players he coached with the Baltimore Ravens to the New York Giants in free agency. After all, while Harbaugh believed that the Giants’ roster was close to competing, he still wanted players who were steeped in his culture to help him build a winning culture in New York.
The crown jewel of that free agent class is tight end Isaiah Likely, who the Baltimore Ravens drafted out of Coastal Carolina University in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL
Draft.
Likely spent the next four years as Baltimore’s second tight end, living in the shadow of All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews. But while he never quite got enough of an opportunity to establish himself as a star, he did earn Harbaugh’s admiration — enough so that the Giants made Likely one of the highest-paid tight ends in the NFL despite never eclipsing 45 receptions or 480 yards in a season.
“I sure hope he’s a big weapon,” Harbaugh said. “I hope he’s a guy that makes a bunch of plays for us. That’s why we brought him here.”
Likely gave props to Andrews for helping him develop.
“He’s taught me a lot since I’ve come in the league,” Likely said following Tuesday’s practice. “Being able to just understand zones, to be able to just go out there, run freely and just let my talent shine. So, I feel like Mark’s brought me to the point now where I feel like being myself, being a star caliber tight end that I see myself being.”
Likely was never a particularly productive tight end for the Ravens, but he did develop a good chemistry with quarterback Lamar Jackson and the two routinely hooked up when the play went off-script. That experience should help Likely establish a rapport with Giants’ quarterback Jaxson Dart, who likewise embraces chaos.
“They’re both dogs,” Likely said. “And I’d say, with Jax [Dart], it’s really just having him understand the defense, really just letting his talent shine and showing that he’s really a capable franchise quarterback to be able to play against any defense if necessary.”
In addition to his experience with an athletic quarterback who loves to freelance, Likely has plenty of experience with the type of offenses that Harbaugh likes to see his teams run. In particular, Likely’s rookie season was with Greg Roman calling the plays.
Roman has rejoined John Harbaugh in New York after spending the last two seasons with Jim Harbaugh as the Los Angeles Chargers. Roman is now a senior offensive assistant for the Giants and seems to be in charge of designing the Giants’ run game.
“I’d say there’s similarities in the run game,” Likely said of what Roman schemed in 2022. “Obviously, G-Ro’s a wizard, best of the best when it comes to the run.”
That year the Ravens had one of the best running games in the NFL, ranking second in total yardage, yards per game, and yards per attempt, as well as fourth in rushing EPA while being seventh in rushing attempts. But, Likely continues, the offense won’t be just Roman’s work. Rather it will be a complex confection that draws on elements from across the Giants’ offensive coaching staff — a staff that features four former offensive coordinators.
Matt Nagy is in charge of the offense, but part of his job is being the mixologist who balances the input of his assistants.
As Likely says, the Giants offense is, “Just taking the flavors of just coaching from Coach Nagy [offensive coordinator Matt Nagy], Coach TK [tight ends coach Tim Kelly], [quarterbacks] Coach [Brian] Callahan, Coach Greg Roman as well. And then all just trying to make it our offense.”
It’s a (potentially) heady mix of philosophies and perspectives that could yield a relatively unique offense in New York. The goal, Likely says, is to make every play look identical and give opposing defenses as few clues as to their intentions as possible. After all, if defenses aren’t sure what’s coming, they play slower and are less able to stop it.
“Whether it’s running, pass, making everything look alike and putting the best players in situations to win,” Likely said.
“Obviously trying to keep everything as simple as possible so you don’t have to think a lot when you’re out there. But dressing [the offense] up to the defense to make it look like exotic, creativity and be able to put the best players in the best situation to win.”
Running back Tyrone Tracy says that Matt Nagy calls the concept “Elegant Simplicity.” Unfortunately, the offense hasn’t found much traction just yet in practice. That could be viewed as a concern regarding the offense, or a good sign for the Giants’ defense.
The Giants’ defensive front has been consistently dominant in practice, and the secondary has been disruptive on the back end.
“I feel like no matter who you put out there, they have a job to do,” Likely said. “And Coach Dennard [defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson] out there, he’s telling them every day to compete. Nobody has a guaranteed spot every day. I mean, every day is a new day.
“And they know that when they’re out there, when they see nine [Likely’s number], when they see anybody out there, I’m going to give you the best look that you can get. So, I feel like that’s the competing aspect of training camp. And that’s going to help us during the season.”
Ultimately, Likely understands that while he might be the crown jewel of the Giants’ free agent class, he’s just one part of the team, one of 11 players on the field.
He believes that if he does his job to the best of his ability, he’ll prove the Giants’ faith in him.
“I come out every day telling myself just win your one-eleventh every play, and whether it has run or pass matchups, whether it’s zone or man. And I feel like, if I win my one-eleventh, whether it’s I got to go against safety, linebacker, the end, corner, just giving Jax the best possibility to throw the ball or running back to be able to run in space.”
The end result?
“Going out there every day and [showing] everybody that when the Giants got me, they [made] the right choice.”
