Matthew Hibner’s Ravens Role Is Growing Before Preseason
- Football Nation
- 5 hours ago
- 4 min read
Matthew Hibner’s case for a meaningful Baltimore Ravens role is moving from draft projection to training-camp evidence. On August 10, the Ravens’ official X account published a current video centered on the rookie tight end and described him as “making an impact.” The team’s own video title went further: Hibner is “carving out a role” in the offense.
That wording matters, but it does not settle the depth chart. Baltimore still has franchise fixture Mark Andrews, veteran blocker Durham Smythe and fellow rookie Josh Cuevas in the room. The useful question is not whether Hibner has already won a job. It is which job his athletic profile, receiving experience and camp progress give him a realistic chance to claim before the regular season.
Reporting note: The roster history, measurements, college production and team-declared competition below come from official Ravens reporting and the team’s current public video. All role, usage and fantasy projections are Football Nation analysis.
What is confirmed
Baltimore traded up 21 spots in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft to select Hibner at No. 133 overall. The Ravens sent pick No. 154 and a 2027 sixth-round selection to San Francisco, a clear signal that general manager Eric DeCosta did not want to wait for the 6-foot-4, 251-pound tight end.
Hibner became a full-time receiving contributor after transferring from Michigan to SMU. Across his final two college seasons, he produced 55 catches for 804 yards and eight touchdowns. His 4.57-second 40-yard dash and 37-inch vertical jump reinforced the field-stretching traits visible on his SMU tape.
The Ravens entered camp with Andrews as the projected starter. Their official tight-end competition preview identified Hibner and fifth-round pick Josh Cuevas as rookies trying to make an immediate impact, with Smythe positioned as the veteran blocking specialist. Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar left in free agency, opening real snaps behind Andrews.
Why Hibner is a different type of No. 2 candidate
The competition is not a simple ranking from first through fourth. Andrews is the established receiving centerpiece. Smythe’s value is tied heavily to blocking. Hibner and Cuevas are younger pass-catching options, and their assignments can overlap without being identical. Baltimore can keep multiple tight ends if each one solves a different problem.
Hibner’s best pathway is to become the movable receiving tight end who can align in the slot, release from a wing position and threaten the seam. He does not need to replace Andrews to matter. He needs to give offensive coordinator Declan Doyle enough flexibility to use two-tight-end personnel without announcing whether the next snap is a run or a pass.
That is where his testing numbers translate most cleanly. A 4.57 forty at his size gives Baltimore a chance to stress linebackers vertically. If a defense answers with a safety or nickel defender, the Ravens can create lighter boxes for the run game. If a linebacker stays on him, Hibner can attack space behind play action. The matchup leverage is more important than a camp catch total.
Football Nation analysis: the three tests that decide the role
First, Hibner must prove he can stay on schedule as a blocker. He does not have to become Smythe, but the offense loses disguise if every Hibner snap points toward a route. Competent positioning, correct angles and reliable effort can be enough to keep the full playbook available.
Second, he must handle the details that do not appear in highlight videos: formation recognition, motion timing, hot adjustments and spacing with Andrews. Rookie tight ends often face a steep mental load because they touch both the protection plan and the route concept. A clean preseason rep can be more informative than a spectacular catch after a coverage bust.
Third, Hibner needs special-teams value. Fourth-round status improves his odds, but it does not exempt him from roster math. Coverage and return-unit snaps give Baltimore another reason to dress him on game day while his offensive package grows.
The strongest outcome is not necessarily Hibner winning a conventional TE2 label. It is Baltimore building a three-man division of labor: Andrews as the primary receiving weapon, Smythe as the blocking anchor and Hibner as the athletic changeup. Cuevas can complicate that plan if his own camp rises, which is why preseason usage will be revealing.
Fantasy football impact
Hibner is a watch-list player rather than a standard redraft selection. Andrews remains the clear fantasy-relevant tight end, and a rookie sharing secondary work with Smythe and Cuevas is unlikely to see dependable weekly volume immediately. In typical one-tight-end leagues, Hibner belongs on waivers unless the target hierarchy changes.
Dynasty formats are different. Baltimore spent extra draft capital to secure him, his athletic profile supports a receiving role, and the roster has room for a long-term successor plan behind Andrews. Managers should track route participation, not just catches. If Hibner consistently runs routes with the first offense in two-tight-end sets, the investment case becomes more interesting.
What to watch next
The preseason checklist is straightforward: which personnel groups include Hibner, whether he plays with Lamar Jackson, how often he aligns away from the line and whether he stays on the field for run calls. Those clues will separate a promising camp story from a defined regular-season role.
Baltimore’s official video is encouraging because the team chose to spotlight Hibner’s adjustment and current impact. It is evidence of momentum, not a declaration that the competition is over. The next meaningful confirmation will come from repeatable usage against another defense.
Current Ravens video
The Ravens’ official X post below contains a playable video focused directly on Hibner’s transition to the NFL and the role he is trying to earn.
More Football Nation Ravens coverage
For the wider passing-game picture, read Rashod Bateman’s expanding role, Ja’Kobi Lane’s camp breakout and Football Nation’s Ravens training-camp report.
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