Potential Panthers' Fa Target Dubbed Player To Avoid In 2026

7 jam yang lalu

The Carolina Panthers need a tight end. Isaiah Likely is simply a tight end, and he's, astatine times, shown nan expertise to beryllium a high-level 1 astatine that. The Baltimore Ravens extended Mark Andrews up of Likely's free agency.

All of this makes Likely personification who will astir apt beryllium successful free agency and personification the Panthers whitethorn person their oculus on. Drafting tight ends successful nan mediate rounds has not really worked retired frankincense far, leaving nan position still successful request of help.

Despite nan clear need, Likely has been branded 1 player to debar successful free agency.

Isaiah Likely dubbed subordinate to debar contempt Panthers fit

Dec 7, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight extremity Isaiah Likely (80) reacts aft scoring a touchdown against nan Pittsburgh Steelers during nan 2nd half astatine M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers would astir apt beryllium amended disconnected drafting a tight extremity again than signing Isaiah Likely successful free agency. According to Bleacher Report's Alex Kay, he's 1 of 5 FAs to enactment distant from.

"While he's a bully stake to drawback connected arsenic a superior pass-catching action for 1 of nan galore teams lacking a playmaker astatine nan position, expectations should beryllium tempered aft he grounded to recognize nan sky-high imaginable he displayed earlier successful his career," Kay said.

The main drawback is nan cost, though. Reports bespeak that Likely is simply a imaginable franchise-tag campaigner for nan Ravens. That carries a $16 cardinal salary, which invariably drives nan value up for immoderate team.

"It's a hefty value for Baltimore aliases immoderate squad to salary for a subordinate who hasn't impacted nan crippled astatine a precocious level pinch immoderate consistency," Kay said.

He concluded, "The dream would beryllium that Likely, who is still conscionable 25 years old, makes a important leap successful 2026. Unfortunately, based connected his past accumulation and inability to capitalize connected opportunities, this simply isn't apt to happen."

The Panthers person needed a tight extremity since Greg Olsen left, and they've tried each mode of players. None of them person worked retired truthful far, arsenic nan position still leaves a batch to beryllium desired.

They person been linked to Kenyon Sadiq successful nan first information of nan NFL draft, though that would require passing connected needed protect prospects for nan 2nd twelvemonth successful a row.