The Baltimore Ravens' offense will begin the 2025 NFL season shorthanded against the Buffalo Bills in Week 1. After ruling out tight end Isaiah Likely, the team added fullback Patrick Ricard to its inactive list.
Likely and Ricard were both officially ruled out on Friday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported. The team did not specify how long either player will be out, but neither player will begin the season on injured reserve.
As the team's fullback, Ricard will begin the year omitted from the Ravens' starting lineup. The eight-year veteran started just six games in 2024, his fewest since the 2018 season.
Although Likely is officially listed as the Ravens' backup tight end, he is a crucial part of the team's passing attack. The Coastal Carolina alum exploded in Week 1 of the 2024 season, leading the team with nine catches, 112 receiving yards and one touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The rest of Likely's 2024 campaign did not live up to the promise of his debut, but the team hinted at further expanding his role in 2025. Likely was on the field for 56 percent of Baltimore's offensive snaps in 2024, a much higher clip than most backup tight ends.
Ravens look to continue momentum against Bills in Week 1
The Ravens went 12-5 in the 2024 regular season and secured the AFC North title for the second consecutive year. Baltimore ended 2024 winning five of its last six games and averaged 31.67 points per game in that frame, and will look to carry that momentum into Week 1.
With the 2024 MVP race boiling down to a two-man race between Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, the Week 1 matchup will feature their first head-to-head meeting since polls closed. Allen ultimately won the race to claim his first MVP award, but many fans felt that it should have gone to Jackson.
The Bills and Ravens both begin the season as top contenders in the AFC and Super Bowl favorites. Buffalo had Baltimore's number in recent years, winning three of the last four meetings since 2021.
