Ravens GM gives bold take about tight end duo

The Ravens are running it back with almost the same wide receiver room they had last season, as the group is highlighted by returning playmakers Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor.

Baltimore's decision was surprising since the room didn't have a player eclipse 900 receiving yards last year. The team's leading receiver was Flowers (858 yards), the No. 22 overall pick in 2023.

However, general manager Eric DeCosta believes the Ravens have two more elite threats in the pass attack in their tight end room.

"I love 'Zay' [Isaiah Likely]. He's a playmaker," DeCosta said via Kevin Patra of NFL.com. "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."

Likely, a fourth-round pick in 2022, had his best season yet in 2023, registering 30 catches for 411 yards and five touchdowns.

Most of that production came after Week 10 when Andrews was sidelined with a cracked fibula and an ankle ligament injury, but Likely took his game to another level, nonetheless.

"He's got route-running ability — [he's] similar to a receiver in some ways," DeCosta added. "[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."

With a full offseason to get healthy, Andrews could return to his All-Pro form. That may make some think Likely's role will return to being what it was before, but Baltimore has already hinted it's planning to play both tight ends early and often.

Having both Andrews and Likely on the field at the same time will only help the Ravens' run game, too, which will be a focus once again after acquiring two-time NFL rushing yards and touchdowns leader Derrick Henry this offseason.

So Baltimore may not have a wide receiver room that jumps off the paper, but it still has the necessary weapons to dominate in 2024.