As soon as Todd Monken was announced as the next head coach of the Cleveland Browns, there was a mad dash to the Ravens' upcoming free agent list. The NFL is a relationship-based business, after all.
The big prize was center Tyler Linderbaum, but he's reportedly headed to the Las Vegas Raiders. There was a more moderately-priced option that drew some intrigue from Browns fans.
First and foremost, tight end Isaiah Likely has spent four years in Baltimore balling out whenever Mark Andrews has missed time due to injury. While that means Likely hasn't gotten a whole bunch of playtime, it also means that no NFL teams have been able to see the full extent of what he could do.
Alas, the Ravens' choice to move on from John Harbaugh wound up affecting the Browns again. From the beginning, the Browns have been competing with the Giants (and to a lesser extent, the Ravens) for former Ravens assistants who worked with Harbaugh, Monken, and the new hire in Baltimore, Jesse Minter. Now it seems they will be competing for the same free agents as well.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports that Likely will rejoin forces with John Harbaugh in New York. The pact is reportedly a three-year deal worth $40 million, with incentives that could increase it to $47.5 million.
Isaiah Likely could've brought the Ravens' offense to Cleveland
While the Browns have rising star Harold Fannin Jr. at the position after spending a third-round pick on him last season, a quick gander at the Ravens' personnel tendencies in 2025 tells you a little bit about what Todd Monken likes to do on offense. The Ravens operated out of 12-personnel (one back, two tight ends) 35.93% of the time, which was the third-highest mark in the league.
For a team aching at the wide receiver position, acquiring Likely would've been a creative workaround to the exploding WR salaries around the NFL. The cash-strapped Browns could've made Likely a primary target alongside Fannin Jr. as they mold their team in the ground-and-pound, power offense Todd Monken employs.
The Browns will need to look elsewhere to find skill talent now that Likely is off the board. Ironically, the Giants' Wan'Dale Robinson could be the target they wind up with — consider it a small act of revenge for snagging Likely away from them.