Drake Maye Isaiah Likely
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CBS Sports' Tyler Sullivan projected the New England Patriots to sign tight end Isaiah Likely to give quarterback Drake Maye another passing target.
Most pundits have speculated about which wide receivers the New England Patriots could target this offseason to make the team’s pass catchers for Drake Maye more dangerous. But the Patriots could also add to their downfield weaponry with a tight end.
CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan proposed free agent tight end Isaiah Likely as a target. Sullivan included the Patriots signing Likely on his list of bold NFL free agency predictions Friday.
“New England needs to surround Drake Maye with more weapons, and most believe that’ll come via securing a wide receiver. However, don’t sleep on Isaiah Likely being a target for the Patriots either,” Sullivan wrote. “Josh McDaniels-run offenses have heavily featured the tight end position, and Hunter Henry is set to play in the final year of his contract in 2026.
“That creates a sneaky need for the franchise, and Likely, who turns 26 in April, flashed the potential to be a dominating receiving threat over his tenure in Baltimore. Not only would Likely find himself aligned with an MVP-caliber quarterback inside a tight end-friendly offense, but this would also be a homecoming for the Massachusetts native.”
A Cambridge, Massachusetts native, Likely eclipsed the 300-yard receiving mark in all four of his seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. His best statistical campaign came in 2024 when he had 42 receptions for 477 yards and six touchdowns.