The Baltimore Ravens are one of the best teams in the NFL. However, there was a clear hole on the roster that John Harbaugh assembled for this year. It seems like Lamar Jackson and company don’t have to worry no more, because that hole is no longer an issue, according to the head coach.
For 13 years, the Ravens had arguably the best kicker of all time in Justin Tucker. However, the 5x All Pro and 7x Pro Bowler showed an abismal dip in production the last couple of years, but especially in 2024. To add salt to the wound, some extracurricular issues also surfaced, which forced Baltimore to cut Tucker. Tucker will serve a 10-game suspension for violating the NFL personal conduct policies.
Hence, the Ravens desperately needed a kicker. Enter Tyler Loop to the scene. “He’ll be the kicker,” John Harbaugh said after Saturday’s preseason win over the Cowboys. “He’s earned it.” Loop made 5/6 field goals attempts during the game, including ones from 51 and 53 yards.
Loop has big shoes to fill
Selected on the sixth-round of the NFL Draft, the rookie out of Arizona has to replace the best kicker of all time. During his five seasons as a Wildcat, Loop scored 126 out of 128 extra points. He also scored 67/80 field goal attempts, an 83.8% of success.
While Tucker’s career as a whole might be intimidating, Loop needs to improve what Tucker did last year to apeace the waters. Tucker only scored 73.3% of his field goal attempts last season, a career-low. He had his second-worst year from extra points attempts too.
The Ravens will put Loop in great spots
While Loop still has to go out there and deliver, this is a kicker-friendly offense. Meaning, this is a very tough unit to stop with Lamar Jackson under center, so he will spend most of his days kicking easy extra point attempts or short field goals.
For instance, the Ravens attempted 30 field goals last season, and 19 of them were less than 50 yards. Conversely, the team scored so much that it attempted 62 extra points, more than double the field goal attempts.