The New York Giants offense is facing some uncertainty this offseason as several key pieces still work their way back to 100% health.
Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo each suffered season-ending injuries last season, and particularly in Nabers’ case, the recovery process remains murky at best.
That’s why it was so important for the Giants to go out and acquire more weapons in free agency and the draft. New York couldn’t leave second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart hanging with nothing to work with.
Enter Isaiah Likely, the former Baltimore Ravens tight end, who signed a three-year, $40 million contract with the Giants in free agency and is expected to be a key piece of the offense in 2026.
At first, there were questions if the Giants had overpaid for their new tight end, but recent contract extensions make it look like New York was getting ahead of the market.
Isaiah Likely Contract Could Age Incredibly Well
Earlier last week, the Atlanta Falcons signed former first-round tight end Kyle Pitts to a three-year, $54 million contract, which could be good news for the New York Giants.
The deal pays Pitts an annual salary of roughly $15 million per year, a little less than $2 million of what Likely is making.
The Giants’ new tight end still has to live up to his contract. Despite being the fourth-highest-paid tight end in football, Likely has never stuffed the stat sheet like Pitts has.
Throughout his first four years in the league, Likely never eclipsed more than 500 receiving yards in a season, a concerning stat when you consider how much the Giants are paying him.
But New York is clearly betting on upside here, as the former Baltimore Ravens draft pick was always stuck behind Mark Andrews on the team depth chart.
The last two seasons, Likely only played 60% and 57% of offensive snaps, minimizing his chances to produce.
With the Giants, he’s expected to have a much bigger role and be one of New York’s primary pass-catching threats.
If Likely can put up starting-caliber numbers in 2026 and prove to be a reliable weapon for Dart, then nobody will bat an eye at his current contract.
How Does Isaiah Likely Fit in the Giants’ Offense?
With the way the New York Giants constructed their offense this offseason, Likely is primed to benefit from being the No. 1 option in the passing game, at least to start the season.
As previously mentioned, the former fourth-round draft pick is walking into a situation where New York’s WR1, Nabers, is still recovering from a serious knee injury.
His status for training camp is not ideal, and questions persist if he’ll be available for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season.
If not, Likely may end up thrust into a role he’s never been in his career, and that’s as the first-look in a passing offense.
Darnell Mooney, Theo Johnson, and Darius Slayton are all fine players, but none of them has ever handled the full workload of an offense.
Likely hasn’t either, but early reports out of offseason activities suggest the 26-year-old is ready for the opportunity, and could be on the verge of a breakout.
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