Despite all the improvements this offseason, the Baltimore Ravens remain in a position where they’ll need a lot from their rookies. They lost some reliable contributors in free agency, meaning they'll lean on their 2026 draft class.
That’s especially true when it comes to Baltimore’s rookie tight ends. They traded up to select Matthew Hibner in the fourth round and doubled down on the position with Josh Cuevas in the fifth round. Sure, Mark Andrews remains the starter, but after watching Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar depart, there’s a lack of tight end depth. Hibner and Cuevas may be asked to contribute early on.
And for those two rookies, they need to take advantage of the opportunity in training camp. With over a month in the pros under their belts, maybe they will turn the corner. The Ravens need them to.
Baltimore Ravens will need contributions from rookie tight ends in 2026
Obviously, Matthew Hibner and Josh Cuevas will be afforded a little bit of time to adjust to the NFL level. They’re Day 3 picks after all. For comparison, it took Charlie Kolar a year or two to get more involved on offense, and Isaiah Likely needed a season before being a consistent starter. Those circumstances were different, though. Kolar and Likely were selected a round earlier than Hibner and Cuevas. And Mark Andrews’ regression is an issue, and creates a bigger need and window of opportunity for the rookies.
Andrews is not the same player he was in 2022 when the Ravens went through similar roster turnover at tight end. Then, he put up his second straight Pro Bowl season. Now, he hasn’t recorded over 700 yards in a season in three years. Can he rebound in 2026? Definitely. But he may not ever return to being that uber-productive starter. Hibner and/or Cuevas will need to contribute in some capacity.
For Hibner, those contributions will come mainly in the pass catching department. He has the athleticism to be a vertical threat and get going after the catch, while also flashing physicality and wide catch radius to win in contested catch situations.
Cuevas had his moments at OTAs and is certainly the more versatile of the two. He might eventually play that Kolar role, sealing blocks upfield in the run game and getting the occasional moment in the sun as a pass catcher. He also matches his toughness with enough athleticism to create separation as a route runner.
At this point, we still don't know much about the role Hibner and Cuevas will have on offense, but hey, we've only just hit summer break. Regardless of where they stand on the depth chart, they've had a good learning experience thus far. What really matters is what goes on during training camp and preseason. That’s when reps will start to matter more and talent will start to shine through. It’ll be a golden opportunity for the duo, and they need to make sure to stand out so they can take the reps that might be available for them in the regular season.
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