The Baltimore Ravens saw the landscape of their roster change this offseason. For the most part, they brought in major boosts at offensive guard and defensive line. However, in the same breath, some position groups are facing uncertainty.
No position encapsulates that uncertainty more than the tight end room right now. The Ravens unfortunately saw both backups Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar fly elsewhere in free agency, and Mark Andrews has been regressing. In response, the organization’s version of an overhaul came in the form of three players: signing Durham Smythe and drafting Matthew Hibner and Josh Cuevas.
To put it bluntly, that four-man group doesn’t seem too promising. It’s an aging starter, a blocker, and two unknown rookies. That’s not really going to have fans bought in.
Based on Andrews’ evaluation of the tight ends thus far, though, it’s hard not to be somewhat intrigued.
“[The rookies] are great. They come to work each and every day, and work hard,” Andrews said with a smile. “I just think we’re able to complement each other incredibly well … These guys are top-of-the-notch guys, and it starts with [Tight Ends] Coach [Zack] Grossi doing his thing. We all feed off him.”
Baltimore Ravens’ tight end group might put up better numbers than some might expect
While it’s something I wouldn’t put too much faith in, the Ravens could certainly see better production from their tight end room than most are anticipating. In fact, it really can’t be worse than last year, right? The talented trio of Andrews, Likely, and Kolar only posted 871 receiving yards in 2025.
In a perfect world, Andrews returns to form and proves he can still be trusted to do damage every week. He’s coming off the worst year of his career, but inconsistent quarterback play and a horrific offensive line definitely limited his production. With Lamar Jackson healthy, Andrews should be back to putting up close to 600 yards at the very least.
As for the rookies, that’s what has fans concerned. It’s a potential problem ready to shine through this season. Hibner and Cuevas come to Charm City as late-round picks, and up to this point, neither has truly caught much attention.
Of course, that could change in training camp. The Ravens traded up to draft Hibner in the fourth round, and Cuevas did have some moments in the sun during the offseason program. If all goes to plan, the athletic Hibner would be the Likely replacement, while the versatile Cuevas takes on Kolar's role.
Realistically, we don’t know what Baltimore has just yet between those two youngsters, and after hearing Andrews’ praise for them, they could actually live up to what Likely and Kolar brought to the offense.
Then, in Smythe's case, we know he’s going to hit the field and block his butt off on every down. He’ll be the Patrick Ricard replacement, and in all honesty, he might be the most sure-thing of these four guys.
Thankfully, this is expected to be a tight end-friendly offense. When offensive coordinator Declan Doyle helped run the show for the Chicago Bears in 2025, Colston Loveland paced the receiving group with 713 yards, and Cole Kmet was a decent option, too, finishing with 347 yards. That should help bring some assurance to a group that has fans hesitant.
I’m not saying Baltimore’s tight ends are going to put on a dominant showcase in 2026. A wide majority of the offensive production will come from the running game and Zay Flowers. Still, the tight ends could be more valuable than some expect, and with Doyle calling the shots, that position group has a good shot at rediscovering itself as a meaningful force in Charm City.
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