Lamar Jackson’s key weapon makes something clear about free agency

Lamar Jackson is likely to lose a key weapon due to free agency during this NFL offseason. Now, said weapon has sent a message to all the teams regarding his expectations and what could be a deciding factor as he seeks a new team.

Tight end Isaiah Likely is pretty much gone from the Baltimore Ravens. After passing catches from Lamar Jackson but living under the shadow of veteran Mark Andrews, Likely wants the chance to shine.

Speaking to Jon Gruden, Likely said, “With my agent, what I told him was I just want to be able to blossom. The last couple years, I’ve had a great vet in Mark Andrews, where he taught me everything to be a star-caliber tight end to the point where it’s like now I just want to be on a team where I can get out there and help a quarterback, help a team be able to put as much points on the board as possible.”

Likely is very talented, but has been limited by Andrews

Many could argue that Likely is already better than Andrews, however, the veteran is held in very high regard by the Ravens. Likely had 27 catches for 307 yards and just one touchdown in 2025. In all fairness, it was a down year for all the Ravens’ roster.

Likely has some suitors already. Reports state that the Commanders could be the frontrunners to land Likely. The Commanders had the always reliable Zach Ertz as tight end. However, Ertz suffered a gruesome knee injury that might end his playing career. Hence, Likely would be really tempting.

The Commanders might be tempting for Likely

Likely wants the chance to blossom, the Commanders need a tight end. It has a very good chance of actually happening. The Commanders are likely to lose wideout Deebo Samuel, don’t have Ertz, and WR1 Terry McLaurin is aging and has suffered injuries in the last season. Hence, Likely would have the chance to actually become the best weapon on the roster.

Jayden Daniels needs to bounce back from an under-par, injury-filled season too. Hence, having a reliable weapon in Likely would certainly give him plenty of motivation. Also, it would give him a massive red zone threat.