Alabama playmaker reveals why new OC Ryan Grubb has specific NFL player in mind for his 2025 role
The Alabama Crimson Tide offense is going to look quite a bit different in 2025 by design. Not only is it a matter of building around a new offensive core without Jalen Milroe and Justice Haynes, but head coach Kalen DeBoer was able to lure Ryan Grubb back to Alabama after he was let go […]
The Alabama Crimson Tide offense is going to look quite a bit different in 2025 by design. Not only is it a matter of building around a new offensive core without Jalen Milroe and Justice Haynes, but head coach Kalen DeBoer was able to lure Ryan Grubb back to Alabama after he was let go by the Seattle Seahawks.
One key member of the 2025 offense will be tight end Josh Cuevas. According to Cuevas, who worked with Grubb at Washington before following DeBoer to the Tide last offseason, gone are the days of the two tight-end system where roles were dilineated.
Cuevas is ready to take on the challenge of being a three-down tight end, and said Grubb's time with him previously is exciting.
"I want to do a little bit of both, for sure," Cuevas said this week, "and I think this coaching staff trusts me enough to put me in a position to where I'm going to succeed, either on the ball or spread out wide."
"Right now, I think we're trying to, trying to mold everybody into an all down tight end, for sure. With this offense, I mean, we're trying to get everybody do everything, especially with — our room's a little young."
Although Cuevas had only 16 catches in 2024, the 6-foot-3 playmaker said he "loves" having Grubbs around, and he's been fed "a whole bunch of clips" of Seahawks tight end Noah Fant to study.
"Just kind of watching how dynamic he is on the ball and off the ball, and just kind of just trying to work to replicate his game a little bit more," Cuevas said. "So there's a lot of film on the Seahawks, as we know, coming with Coach Grubb, but it's been great."
Fant enjoyed a bit of a resurgence under Grubb in 2024. He caught 48 passes for 500 yards and one touchdown, marking the third-highest catch rate of his career. It was the first time since 2021 he broke the 500-yard plateau despite missing three games and splitting time with AJ Barner.
There's still a lot unsettled with the Crimson Tide offense entering the spring practice window, but having a stud tight end locked into a role would be a big boost for a young quarterback. We'll see whether Cuevas can earn that TE1 spot and be equally valuable as a blocker and receiver.
