Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely is on track to make his 2025 season debut after missing the first three weeks with a foot injury, per Ian Rapoport.

Both teams are sitting at 1-2, and the desperation to secure a win is higher than ever. At a time like this, Isaiah Likely’s presence could be a game-changer for the Ravens. Last season, he hauled in 42 passes for 477 yards and six touchdowns, even in the presence of fellow tight end Mark Andrews on the roster. That shows how valuable he is to Baltimore’s offense.

And, the team wants to make sure he’s fully comfortable before taking the field. Hence, no official announcement has been made, and he is still listed as ‘questionable’ despite full participation in Friday’s practice.

While head coach John Harbaugh thinks he “looks good”, he still wants to be careful with the TE. “We’ll just have to see if it’s the best thing for us on Sunday. We haven’t really decided that yet.”

In fact, Likely, too, doesn’t mind being cautious.

“You always want to look at the long game,” Likely said last week. “In this league, it’s a turtle’s race. Understand that January’s so far away. We just put up 40-plus points back-to-back. The offense is well capable to be themselves whether I’m on or off the field. They’re not rushing me back. Me limited isn’t helping anybody. You guys want to see me be me.”

However, if he is unable to show up for the game, the team will have to rely on Andrews.

However, as for the Ravens’ offense, offensive coordinator Todd Monken appeared confident. “We have everything we need to be a really elite offense.” That might be the story of offense, but things don’t look good on defense.

The Ravens’ defense takes another scary hit

The Ravens’ already struggling defensive line, which ranked last in the NFL for the first time since 2021, took another hit. Defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike has reportedly been placed on injured reserve, sidelining him for at least the next four games. While Coach Harbaugh admitted he’s concerned about the severity of Madubuike’s neck injury, he couldn’t provide a clear timeline for his return.

Without Madubuike, the Ravens didn’t look sharp in their last game against the Detroit Lions, giving up 207 rushing yards between the tackles, the most the team has allowed since ESPN started tracking the stat in 2006. Madubuike, who leads all defensive tackles in sacks at 21.5, saw his team end the game without even a single one.

Adding to the team’s woes, starting defensive end Broderick Washington is also on injured reserve with an ankle injury. With both Madubuike and Washington out, the Ravens are missing key pieces on their defensive front. Meanwhile, the Chiefs have also placed DT Chris Jones on the injury report for a reasons personal to the player.

All eyes will be on how the Ravens navigate this stormy stretch, as the team tries to hold its ground with significant gaps in its defense.