When Ravens starting tight end Mark Andrews missed the last six games of last season, backup Isaiah Likely played very well in his place. And that leads to excitement in Baltimore about the two of them playing together this season.
Andrews doesn’t see Likely as competition for his starting job, but as a player who will be on the field with him as the Ravens use more formations with two tight ends in 2024.
“It’s going to be special,” Andrews said. “When you have two guys like that who are dynamic, mismatches all over the field, doesn’t matter where you put us, that’s tough to gameplan for. Both guys love to play ball, love to compete. It’s going to be fun.”
Last year Likely played 44 percent of the Ravens’ offensive snaps and Andrews played 41 percent. This year, Likely and Andrews love the idea of both of them being on the field for the majority of offensive plays.
"[I’m] finding my way in the offense as a chess piece, just seeing where I can fit in,” Likely said. “Having all of us on the same field at the same time, you don’t know whether it’s going to be run or pass, and you don’t know where the explosive play can come from.”
The Ravens’ offense was excellent last year, but an increase in the use of 12 personnel this year with Andrews and Likely on the field with Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman could throw some new wrinkles at opposing defenses.
