So far, the talk of the NFL offseason for the New York Giants has been the hire of head coach John Harbaugh, who has quickly immersed himself in the Big Apple and become a fan favorite among Big Blue fans, even getting a standing ovation at the Knicks game on Saturday night.
We all know what Coach Harbaugh brings to the table after 18 years at the helm of the Baltimore Ravens. We know what he hopes to bring to New York because he spoke about it in his introductory press conference, but you don't really see the culture shift until he's standing on the sideline in Week 1.
In the meantime, Giants fans can only wait and be optimistic about the future as they look forward to the former Super Bowl Champion as their next head coach. But one way both G-Men fans and players can learn more about Harbaugh as a person and coach is by hearing from the players who have played under him during his tenure in Baltimore.
One of those signs might have just come from a former Raven.
Former Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely recently sat down with former NFL head coach Jon Gruden on a recent episode of "Gruden Goes Long," where he spoke about Harbaugh and what Giants players are getting in their new head coach:
"A great culture piece," Likely said when asked about what the Big Blue players are getting from Harbaugh. He added, "You don't be a head coach for 18 years for anything."
Likely is right. Holding the same job for 18 years and winning a Super Bowl tells you enough about why Harbaugh is one of the league's best. That culture will carry over to the Giants.
He also went on to say, "Play like a Raven was his mantra. When you suited up as a Raven, you understood what it was to wear that black and purple, and that was that you were going to play violently, you're going to be disciplined, and you're going to get after it snap in and snap out."
But it was the last thing he said that stood out the most: "They are going to love Coach Harbaugh because of what he does and what he brings to the team."
So why does this matter beyond Harbaugh praise? Likely happens to be a free agent this offseason and could certainly be a target for the G-Men. According to Spotrac, he's projected to earn over $8.5 million AAV with his next contract.
The Giants' tight end room currently features Theo Johnson and Thomas Fidone II. With Daniel Bellinger and Chris Manhertz expected to hit free agency, there's room to add someone. If the right offer is on the table, Isaiah will "Likely" follow Harbaugh to New York, and he would immediately improve Big Blue's offense.
The G-Men will have to clear some cap space to make it happen, whether that means restructuring high-value contracts or releasing players before free agency. But if all goes well, we could see the former Ravens tight end on the Giants' sideline very soon, which Big Blue fans would more than welcome.
Consider it "Written In Blue."