The Baltimore Ravens extended the NFL record for most consecutive preseason wins on Thursday night, with win No. 21 coming in the form of a 23-10 beatdown of the Tennessee Titans. There were several heroes in Baltimore's first exhibition win of the new season, and rookie tight end Isaiah Likely was one of them.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said earlier this week that the tight end out of Coastal Carolina is "going to be a big part of the offense this year," and it certainly looked like it on Thursday night. Likely caught four passes for 44 yards on four targets in his first NFL action, saying afterward that he felt "like a little kid on Christmas."
In the first quarter, Likely took a reception in the flat for a first down -- putting a defender in the spin cycle in the process.
In the second stanza on Thursday night, Likely made an incredible grab sandwiched between a linebacker and a cornerback. It looked like the linebacker was about to record a pass breakup -- or even an interception -- but Likely found a way to reel it in.
There weren't only positive takeaways from Likely's NFL debut, as he recorded two holding penalties. He wasn't exactly forecasted to be an elite blocking tight end at the next level as much as a big-bodied receiver, and he couldn't have landed in a better spot.
The Ravens' wide receiving corps is seen as a weakness, especially with the loss of Marquise Brown, but Harbaugh and Co. aren't too worried about it. Just last year, tight end Mark Andrews set the Ravens' franchise record for most receiving yards in a single season, as he led all NFL tight ends in receptions (107), yards (1,361) and was tied for most touchdowns (9). Along with Likely, the Ravens also drafted tight end Charlie Kolar out of Iowa State in the fourth round as well. It's clear that the tight ends are going to play an important role in Lamar Jackson's passing game.
