We are just days away from seeing the Dallas Cowboys kick off their 2026 season on Sunday Night Football against the New York Giants. And the matchup at MetLife Stadium will be our first litmus test in determining in just how much this defense improved against a young, talented New York offense.
Between Jaxson Dart, Cam Skattebo, and Malik Nabers, Christian Parker will have his work cut out for him in his first regular-season game as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator. But for as crazy as it sounds, none of those young Giants are the player who'll keep Parker up at night trying to stop him, because that honor goes to Isaiah Likely.
The Giants signed Likely to a three-year, $40 million contract in free agency to ensure he would follow John Harbaugh up the I-95 to be their new starting tight end rather than be stuck in Mark Andrews' shadow in Baltimore.
And so far, he's taken advantage of the faith Harbaugh has in him this summer.
The Cowboys must focus on Isaiah Likely in Week 1
It might sound insane to label a player who doesn't have a single 500-yard season under his belt as a player to be more worried about than Malik Nabers, but hear me out for a second. For starters, while he's trending towards playing, it's no guarantee Nabers will be at full strength even if he does play.
Meanwhile, the 26-year-old is as healthy as can be and was probably Big Blue's biggest standout during training camp. His rapport with Jaxson Dart was the biggest storyline of the summer, as he and Dart connected 44 times, per Dan Duggan of The Athletic. That was a team high by a wide margin, as the next-closest WR, Darnell Mooney, caught 18 passes.
The Giants aren't exactly blessed with the luxury of wide receiver depth like the Cowboys are, especially after releasing Darius Slayton. Behind Nabers, they're relying on Darnell Mooney, rookie third-round pick Malachi Fields, and a 33-year-old Odell Beckham Jr., whose last 1,000-yard season was in 2019.
Suffice it to say that Isaiah Likely is going to have to step up.
Giants' Isaiah Likely is more than just a tight end
It's not hyperbole to say Dallas has a revamped linebacker room full of players who can slow down Likely They have Jaishawn Barham, Dee Winters, and DeMarvion Overshown back who can do so, and if that doesn't work, Parker could always turn to prized rookie Caleb Downs to contain Likely.
However, it's not that simple.
At 6-foot-4 and 241 pounds, the Coastal Carolina product is a true weapon for the G-Men. If anything, he's more of a jumbo receiver than a true tight end due to his athleticism, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him play out of the slot at times during this game.
As Jaxson Dart's safety valve, Isaiah Likely will play a key role for the Giants' offense regardless of when Malik Nabers returns, and this Dallas Cowboys' defense cannot afford to overlook him to focus on New York's bigger-name players.
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