The Baltimore Ravens have one of the toughest opening opponents for the start of the 2025 NFL season. To start off 1-0, the Ravens must take down their AFC nemesis, the Buffalo Bills.
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Both teams have star power on both sides of the ball, but the Ravens are likely to be without one of their star players for the season opener.
Tight end Isiah Likely is still recovering from surgery due to a fractured bone in his foot, and it is highly unlikely that he will play against the Bills.
According to Thursday’s injury report for Week 1, Likely has been deemed a DNP (did not participate) for the second day in a row. Though its never a guarantee, the usual case for players that missed two or more practices in a week are often not those that suit up.
It was expected that Likely would miss the season opener while recovering from surgery, and his two missed practices are a major indicator that he will be ruled out sooner rather than later.
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It is interesting that the Ravens have yet to rule Likely out, meaning he may be given a slim chance to still take the field on Sunday.
Should Likely be ruled out, the Ravens will go into Sunday’s contest with Mark Andrews and Charlie Kolar as the two healthy tight ends.
It would be a bit concerning if the Ravens go into the game with only two healthy tight ends. This might mean the team could call Scotty Washington, who did not make the 53-man roster.
Washington would need to be signed to the practice squad, and then be elevated for the showdown against the Bills. Considering the game is only a few days away, that might not be possible.
Likely not being ruled out yet might also be intentional, as the Ravens might know a bit more about his condition that could lead to his playing on Sunday. If that is the case, adding another tight end would not be the right route to go.
Either way, Likely missing Week 1 will be tough for the Ravens, especially for his being a strong rotational piece of blocking packages and to sub in for Andrews.
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