Lamar Jackson has lost one of his reliable targets, and the Baltimore Ravens are now scrambling for a replacement as their 2022 draft pick is now New York-bound. With Isaiah Likely departing in free agency after four seasons in Baltimore, the team must now look for new options to support Mark Andrews in the offense.

“While Mark Andrews was re-signed to be the move tight end in Baltimore, the Ravens lost Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar over the first week of free agency,” Bill Barnwell of ESPN wrote while discussing potential team fits for David Njoku. “The Ravens signed Durham Smythe to help fill in for Kolar, and I wouldn’t be surprised if general manager Eric DeCosta used a Day 3 pick on a blocking tight end to develop over the next few years. But Njoku would be taking over for Likely here as the second tight end in Baltimore’s offense.”

While Likely has chosen the New York Giants, there remain a few tight ends in a depleted free agent market to consider. One such option is David Njoku, who was drafted by the Browns in 2025. After nearly a decade, the veteran looks to be on his way on the back of his third-lowest career receiving yards.

With veteran Mark Andrews already locked in on a major extension, the Ravens were hesitant to spend heavily on a second tight end. This allowed the New York Giants to swoop in and sign Likely to a three-year, $40 million deal in March 2026. 

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Earlier, the Ravens lost their top blocking tight end, Charlie Kolar, who joined the Los Angeles Chargers on a lucrative contract. Now with veteran Durham Smythe and Andrews remaining as primary options, which is where an experienced Doku could be the difference between a final regular season win and loss (like the one that pushed the Ravens out against the Steelers during Week 17).

While the Ravens have been quiet in the early stages of the “legal tampering” period, only making a splash by signing offensive lineman John Simpson in free agency, the pressure is on to find a new tight end.

David Njoku’s name keeps coming up as a possible option for the TE position

The Ravens’ offense has historically used two-tight-end sets. To keep their playing style working, they really need to find someone else to step up.

Unfortunately, as the market narrows, the competition gets fiercer. In addition to Baltimore, the New England Patriots have also emerged as a possible landing spot for Njoku. To add to the uncertainty, the Eagles could also consider the 29-year-old for their 2026 campaign.

Still, the Ravens do appear to be perched atop most lists, being the most-likely landing spot. Adding Njoku would give Lamar Jackson another dynamic weapon, crucial for competing against the league’s top defenses.

If you just look at the stats, Njoku didn’t have a ton of yards last season, but that wasn’t his fault. Cleveland’s inconsistent quarterback play and offensive struggles limited his production. Even though his 2025 stats, 33 catches for 293 yards, look average, he is still one of the most athletic and underrated players in the AFC, with four or more touchdowns in seven of his nine NFL campaigns.

In Baltimore, the tight end would have a much bigger role amid lesser quarterback uncertainty. The Ravens’ new offensive coordinator, Declan Doyle, loves keeping multiple tight ends involved in the game. That news itself, could be a sign of things to come, with the veteran starved for better numbers.