The Baltimore Ravens enter the 2024 season with questions at wide receiver.
General manager Eric DeCosta reiterated his "bullish" belief that former first-rounder Rashod Bateman will finally break out. Even if that comes to fruition, the Ravens will need more than Bateman and Zay Flowers to shine for the offense to reach its height.
Into the potential void steps tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely.
Andrews is a three-time Pro Bowler and widely considered one of the most reliable tight ends in the NFL. His rapport with Lamar Jackson is off the charts. Likely has room to grow after two seasons.
DeCosta gushed about the 24-year-old tight end's improvement heading into Year 3.
"I love 'Zay' [Isaiah Likely]. He's a playmaker," DeCosta said via the team's official transcript. "He's got route-running ability -- [he's] similar to a receiver in some ways. [He's] strong after the catch; that's something that going back to college when I evaluated him, that's the one thing you kind of hung your hat on, 'This guy was dangerous with the football in his hands.' He's another guy -- I've seen an urgency with him. His leadership, interaction with other players ... He's kind of changed from being a rookie to being a vet, and I just feel like he and Mark Andrews will be the best tandem at their position in the league and really create a lot of problems for opposing defensive coordinators."
A fourth-round pick in 2022, Likely generated 373 yards on 36 catches with three touchdowns as a rookie. Last year, he only saw those figures improve slightly, netting 411 yards on 30 grabs with five touchdowns.
The Ravens expect to get both tight ends on the field together liberally. Likely's ability to play the slot will be key. Last season, even with Andrews missing a chunk of the action, he took 227 (49%) of his snaps from the slot with just 205 (44%) tight, per Next Gen Stats.
The offseason addition of Derrick Henry should immediately make the Ravens' ground attack more potent. Deploying the bulldozing running back along with two pass-catching tight ends will make matchups more difficult for defenses, particularly in the red zone.
The Ravens are banking on it.
