How Kyle Pitts Receiving Franchise Tag Affects Likely
Speaking of Likely, with the Atlanta Falcons reportedly planning to use the franchise tag on Kyle Pitts, Likely is arguably the top tight end set to hit free agency.
Pending tight ends Travis Kelce, Dallas Goedert, and David Njoku have proven track records, but they'll all be 30 or older at the start of the season. Likely turns 26 in April and has shown flashes of TE1 ability, which is why the market for him figures to be robust.
With the Ravens signing veteran tight end Mark Andrews to a three-year contract extension reportedly worth $39.3 million in December, and Likely saying recently that he wants to play for a team where he is "able to blossom," Likely could play in a different city next season.
"Likely is extremely close with Lamar Jackson, so it's hard to completely rule out a Baltimore return," The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec wrote. "However, over the past eight months, the Ravens made no progress in their efforts to extend Likely, and they've since paid Andrews. It would be extremely hard for them to have two guys making top-eight tight end money with all their needs elsewhere."
Jackson made it known on social media that he is hoping Likely doesn't go anywhere.