The Baltimore Ravens have been known for being dominant at the tight end spot across their history. And that’s one of the aspects that makes 2026 so interesting for them. They've gone through a ton of changes at that position.
Of course, it’ll still be Mark Andrews starting at tight end. He’s been the go-to guy in that role for pretty much the entirety of his eight-year career. However, it’s hard to ignore his regression. Let’s be honest with ourselves, he’s not what he once was, and you throw in the fact that Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar left in free agency, and it’s clear that someone new will have to step up.
There are three new tight ends in Charm City at this point: Durham Smythe, Matthew Hibner, and Josh Cuevas. Can you realistically hold any of those guys to high expectations this year? Not really, but early in OTAs, one guy in particular has stepped up. Josh Cuevas.
Baltimore Ravens have young tight end emerging early in OTAs
Cuevas comes to Baltimore as a fifth-round pick. As he gears up for his rookie campaign, it’s not like you can assume he will replace Isaiah Likely or Charlie Kolar with ease. According to Ryan Mink, though, Cuevas has already shown a lot to love. In a piece highlighting 10 early standouts from the first week of OTAs, Cuevas was the first player that Mink mentioned. He wrote:
“[Cuevas] caught several passes in 11-on-11 drills on Monday, including a diving snag over the middle. Cuevas also had a red-zone catch in traffic during Thursday’s session. Cuevas is showing early on that he’s a versatile receiving threat beyond what he offers as a blocker.”
Talk about making a really strong early impression. That’s what you want to see out of the rookie.
If I had to make an educated case, Cuevas might end up being the Kolar replacement. And it might be the best-case scenario that Cuevas is the guy taking strides early on.
In all honesty, Kolar may have been the most impactful tight end last year with his superb blocking and flashes as a receiving threat. By the sounds of it, Cuevas could quickly fill that void. He’s got all the toughness you need in blocking assignments, and from his route running to hands, he’s got the room to grow into an ultra-reliable pass catcher.
Of course, Cuevas still has a lot to prove. It’s awesome to see him hit the ground running and impress early on, but it’s only OTAs. The pads haven’t even gone on yet, and live contact isn’t allowed. It’ll be a whole new ballgame when that takes place, but based on what he can do up to this point, Cuevas is checking all the right boxes.
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