Ravens GM Hints Double-Dip at Tight End in NFL Draft Is Highly Likely

The Baltimore Ravens could look to replenish their depth chart at a key position of need with more than one prospect from arguably the most loaded group in this year's draft.

Sep 11, 2025; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack tight end Justin Joly (7) catches a pass against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in second half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Luke Jamroz-Imagn Images | Luke Jamroz-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Ravens entered last season with every member of their tight end and fullback depth chart playing on expiring contracts, and the only one who wound up being retained was three-time Pro Bowl veteran Mark Andrews, who signed a three-year extension towards the end of the year.

Even before free agency officially opened, all three of Isaiah Likely, Charlie Kolar and six-time Pro Bowl fullback Patrick Ricard agreed to terms with new teams during the legal tampering period. Kolar joined the Los Angeles Chargers, becoming the highest-paid blocking tight end in the league, while Likely and Ricard followed former long-time Ravens head coach, John Harbaugh, to the New York Giants on deals that made Likely the fifth-highest paid tight end overall and Ricard the highest-paid among all fullbacks.

While the Ravens offset Kolar's departure with the signing of veteran blocking specialist Durham Smythe in free agency, the loss of all three left their depth chart at a position that is expected to be heavily featured in new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle's system severely depleted.

Thankfully, one of the deepest and strongest position groups in the 2026 NFL Draft is at tight end, with talent that could be had throughout all seven rounds.

The Ravens have selected a pair of prospects at the position in the same draft four times in the first three decades of the franchise's existence, and during the team's annual pre-draft press conference, general manager Eric DeCosta all but confirmed that year 31 will likely end up being the fifth occurrence where they double up.

"There's a number of tight ends throughout the draft in different rounds," DeCosta said. "You got some guys that can go high. But then, as you get into the fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds, we see guys that do something well. When you get into those rounds, that's what you're looking for. They are going to have some type of hole, but what do they do well? I think there's a strong chance we'll add a couple more throughout, for sure."

Ideal potential ideal double-dip pairing

Oct 25, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats tight end Joe Royer (11) carries the ball after making a catch against Baylor Bears safety DJ Coleman (33) in the first half at Nippert Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

The Ravens can go in so many different directions when it comes to adding to rookie tight ends, depending on how the board falls, how they have it stacked, and how much they want to prioritize the position relative to their other needs, some of which are more pressing.

They've already been linked to consensus top overall tight end prospect Kenyon Sadiq of Oregon in several first-round mock drafts, but the more likely scenario is that they take one on Day 2 or wait until Day 3 to select a couple, as they did with Kolar and Likely in 2022 when they had six picks in the fourth round. This year, eight of their 11 total pick are in the fourth or later, including four in the fifth.

As far as what and ideal double-dip scenario would look like for the Ravens, taking a prospect with either a lot of proven pedigree as pass catcher or high upside in that aspect of the game in the fourth round at No. 115 overall would be a great first move if they don't take Sadiq on Day 1 or Vanderbilt's Eli Stowers in the second round.

One of N.C. State's Justin Joly and Baylor's Michael Trigg would fit the bill for the first profile, while Georgia's Oscar Delp and Michigan's Marlin Klein are more in the mold of the second.

With seven more picks left, the Ravens could nab their second prospect at the position by spending one of their fifth-rounders on the likes of Notre Dame's Eli Raridon, Cincinnati Joe Royer and Ohio State's Will Kacmarek. With their lone sixth-rounder or one of their two seventh-rounders, they could target Houston's Tanner Koziol or Ole Miss' Dae'Quan Wright.

In the other four previous instances when the Ravens double-dipped at tight end, the second one taken wound up being the more productive and impactful of the two, so it'll be curious to see if history repeats itself once again if they do decide to draft more than one rookie at the position next week.