Aug 16, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Baltimore Ravens punter Jordan Stout (11) holds the ball for place kicker Tyler Loop (33) during a field goal attempt during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Ravens Kicker Noteworthy Concern Entering Season

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Henry Brown | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 5:00 PM ET

The Baltimore Ravens made some history for themselves in their most recent NFL Draft outing, spending a draft pick on a kicker for the first time ever in selecting Tyler Loop in the sixth round.

The pick signified more than your standard changing-of-the-guard, with Justin Tucker, their franchise icon and 13-year kicker, finally slowing down in the previous season. Some ugly off-the-field scandals early in the offseason discouraged the field goal record-holder's chances of returning to the team in the fall, just one more reason for the Ravens to draft his heir before they'd officially parted ways with the Baltimore icon.

Loop won the kicking job fair and square in training camp, outlasting John Hoyland as the Ravens' preseason kicker, and he'll be one of the rookie Ravens who can expect day-one expectations. While blue chippers like Malaki Starks and Mike Green have drawn early eyes as potential award candidates, Loop will have to look the part of a big-league kicker the second he touches regular season action.

ESPN flagged the concern that usually comes with prospects expected to seamlessly slide into high-leverage situations, mentioning Loop as a potential make-or-break factor entering this week's regular season debut.

"This has the makings of the most complete team in Jackson's eight-year run," Jamison Hensley wrote. "The biggest change is going from Justin Tucker, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, to Loop, a rookie sixth-round pick. According to Pro Football Reference's database, of the 128 place-kickers in NFL history who have attempted 20 or more kicks as a rookie, 19 have hit or exceeded an 85% conversion rate."

If a kicker is good enough to earn a draft pick, even if it took until Day Three for Loop's name to be called, they're usually worthy a longer-term investment than your standard expendable special-teamer. He was noted pre-draft for his powerful leg, and backed up some of that potential with several preseason conversions that stretched half of the field.

The Ravens, like many teams hoping to take advantage of their tight contending windows, can't afford any inconsistencies from their kickers in their rare appearances. They found that out the hard way during Tucker's quick descent in 2024, as he broke a stretch of five straight Pro Bowl games due to the 73.3% field goal hit rate he posted in 17 games, a sudden downturn from the 86.5% number he's posted just one year earlier.

Loop will have plenty of chances to deal finishing blows on Baltimore scoring runs as the Ravens' already-named starting kicker, and any inability to meet the moment will be quickly noted.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Ravens on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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