Isaiah Likely, the Baltimore Ravens’ tight end, sustained a foot fracture during Tuesday’s practice, with reports confirming the injury as a minor fracture. The injury occurred on the final play of practice, raising concerns about his availability for the upcoming season. Despite the setback, sources expect Likely to recover in time for the Ravens’ Week 1 game.
According to reports by ESPN’s Jamison Hensley and Jeremy Fowler, the injury is expected to keep Likely sidelined temporarily, but if the recovery proceeds smoothly, the player could be ready for the Ravens’ season opener against the Buffalo Bills on September 7. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network conveyed that Likely will undergo surgery later this week to repair the fracture, with an anticipated recovery window of roughly six weeks, although this may vary based on his healing progress.
According to sources, if all goes well in Likely’s recovery, he is expected to return early in the season,
—Jamison Hensley and Jeremy Fowler
It’s possible Likely could be back for the Ravens’ Sept. 7 opener at the Buffalo Bills.
—Jamison Hensley and Jeremy Fowler
The opener is nearly 6 weeks from today. If all goes well, Isaiah Likely should be ready or almost ready by that time. Either way, back sooner rather than later.
—Ian Rapoport, NFL Network
Recovery Outlook and Contract Discussion
The surgery scheduled for Likely aims to stabilize the fractured foot to ensure the best chance for a timely return. Rapoport indicated that if all proceeds without complications, Likely could return near the start of the regular season, potentially allowing him to participate in the Ravens’ demanding opening match. His absence, however, will likely affect the offense’s dynamic during training camp and preseason preparations.
Beyond the injury, negotiations between Likely and the Ravens regarding a contract extension are ongoing but not expected to conclude shortly. Rapoport stated there is no imminent deal, signaling that discussions remain in preliminary or tentative phases. Comparisons in negotiation leverage may be influenced by other tight end contracts in the league, such as Jake Ferguson’s recent four-year, $52 million extension with the Dallas Cowboys, which sets a new benchmark for players at the position.
My understanding is that things are not close,
—Ian Rapoport, NFL Network
Ravens’ Struggle to Move Past Last Season’s Playoff Defeat
The Ravens continue to grapple with the emotional toll of their narrow, two-point loss to the Buffalo Bills in last season’s divisional playoff game. That defeat has remained a source of frustration and motivation during the offseason, with players and staff revisiting the memory as they prepare for the new campaign.
Cornerback Marlon Humphrey shared insights on how the team coped with the loss in a recent interview on “The Mina Kimes Show.” Humphrey described the initial period after the playoff exit as one of confusion and reflection among teammates, where discussions often revolved around what could have been done differently and strategies for improvement moving forward. The loss was described as difficult to process, not from sadness, but from bewilderment over the unexpected outcome.
This year was probably the hardest [loss to get over] because I lived here full-time, I think for maybe two weeks straight, me, the weight room guys, some of the equipment guys, we’d literally go into the weight room to work out, an hour goes by, and I don’t know if any of us even worked out because we were just talking about, ‘What could we have done different? What could we do next year?’ It was pretty tough to get over it. Not from like, ‘I’m down, I’m sad.’ You’re just confused. ‘What happened?’
—Marlon Humphrey, Ravens Cornerback
It gets hard to figure out, honestly. It’s just tough. From a fan perspective, it’s like, ‘How can these guys just move on?’ Still thinking about that loss is not good. You have to do something. Everyone’s like, ‘Crap, I need to go take a trip.’
—Marlon Humphrey, Ravens Cornerback
Concerns Surrounding the Ravens’ Defensive Secondary
Despite possessing a star-studded secondary featuring players like Marlon Humphrey and Kyle Hamilton, some analysts have questioned the overall depth and consistency of Baltimore’s defensive backfield. Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine identified the secondary as the biggest vulnerability for the Ravens heading into the new season.
Ballentine noted that while the cornerback duo of Hamilton and Humphrey is elite, other positions raise concerns. Younger talents such as Nate Wiggins showed promise but need more development, while veterans Jaire Alexander and Chidobe Awuzie are expected to provide depth. Safety coverage appears particularly uncertain, especially with Ar’Darius Washington starting the season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. Malaki Starks will be counted upon to make an immediate impact in the secondary’s back end.
Nate Wiggins looked the part at times last year. Veterans Jaire Alexander and Chidobe Awuzie will need to provide the depth the Ravens didn’t have last season. The safety depth could be even more critical. Ar’Darius Washington is starting the season on the Physically Unable to Perform List. Malaki Starks will need to be a Day 1 difference-maker.
—Alex Ballentine, Bleacher Report
Though this criticism may seem pointed, the fact that the secondary—often praised as a strength—is viewed as a potential weak spot highlights the Ravens’ overall talent level. It also underlines the importance of rapid progress from less-proven players to maintain balance on the defensive side.
Predictions Highlight Ravens as Top Super Bowl Contenders
Despite injuries and other challenges, certain experts have expressed confidence that the Ravens will contend strongly for the Super Bowl this year. Yahoo! Sports’ Frank Schwab ranked Baltimore No. 2 in his preseason power rankings behind only the reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles, but predicted that the Ravens will ultimately claim the championship.
Schwab pointed to the Ravens’ strong finish last season and a resolved mindset entering the campaign as key factors in their projected success. He acknowledged past “weird losses” to teams like the Raiders and Browns had a negative impact on playoff positioning, which may have contributed to the close loss against the Bills. Still, with a tough start against Buffalo, Schwab expects a focused team ready to make a statement from Week 1 onward.
The Ravens were excellent by the end of last season, but they know that some weird losses (how did this team lose to the Raiders and Browns?) cost them in seeding, which maybe was the difference in that playoff loss to the Bills,
—Frank Schwab, Yahoo! Sports
Jackson might not win an NFL MVP award this season, because there seems to be some pushback against him getting his third. But he’ll win something even better for his place in the game’s history: Super Bowl LX MVP.
—Frank Schwab, Yahoo! Sports
Injury management also factors heavily into Baltimore’s outlook. Schwab cited data indicating the Ravens had remarkably low games lost to injury last season—fewer than half that of the Eagles, the second-best team in this regard—though he warned that such favorable luck is unlikely to continue indefinitely.
The Ravens had only 16.3 adjusted games lost due to injury via FTN Fantasy. That was less than half of the team that had the second-best games lost to injury last season, which was the Eagles at 33.7,
—Frank Schwab, Yahoo! Sports
According to FTN’s Aaron Schatz, it’s the fewest AGL to injury since the 2017 Falcons. That will not repeat. So if you want to be skeptical of the Ravens being a Super Bowl champion, it’s that they’re due for many more injuries this season.
—Frank Schwab, Yahoo! Sports
Tyler Linderbaum Recognized Among Best NFL Blockers
Center Tyler Linderbaum earned recognition on NFL.com’s list of candidates for the Protector of the Year award, which honors the league’s top blockers. Linderbaum ranked ninth, reflecting his impact as a cornerstone of Baltimore’s offense.
Nick Shook wrote that Linderbaum brought stability to the center position, which had seen inconsistency in previous years. In his third professional season, Linderbaum was regarded by Pro Football Focus as one of the top three players at the position. His role as the offensive pivot made him essential to an explosive offense in 2024, and expectations are high for him to sustain or surpass that level in the coming season.
The Ravens needed to solidify the center spot after a few years of instability and received exactly what they wanted in Linderbaum, who was just a top-three player at the position, according to PFF, in only his third professional season,
—Nick Shook, NFL.com
Linderbaum was the pivot of the NFL’s most explosive offense in 2024 and returns to a group that is expected to produce a sequel that is just as good, if not better. Baltimore will be in the spotlight, and Linderbaum should receive recognition for it.
—Nick Shook, NFL.com
Additional Notes from Around the NFL and Ravens Camp
In contract news, the Ravens and outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy agreed to adjust his deal by adding $500,000 in per-game roster bonuses, equating to approximately $29,412 per game. This adjustment reflects the team’s intent to reward Van Noy based on availability throughout the season.
Per https://t.co/26Ml33mKD0 the Ravens and OLB Kyle Van Noy adjusted Van Noy’s contract to add $500K worth of per game roster bonuses ($29,412 per game) to his deal.
—Brian McFarland, Ravens Salary Cap Analyst
Meanwhile, the Ravens plan to utilize third-year wide receiver Zay Flowers in more diverse offensive roles this season, seeking to maximize his impact on the field.
On the injury front from other NFL camps, the Kansas City Chiefs reported that wide receiver Hollywood Brown left practice with an ankle injury, though the severity remains uncertain. Head coach Andy Reid expressed cautious optimism about Brown’s condition. Additionally, receiver Xavier Worthy sustained a head injury during practice.
I don’t think it’s too bad, but we’ll see.
—Andy Reid, Chiefs Head Coach