Ravens Kicking Competition is Very Real

After releasing Justin Tucker last month, the Baltimore Ravens knew that finding their new kicker wouldn't be easy.

Since releasing Tucker, they've held a competition between two rookies: Tyler Loop, a sixth-round pick out of Arizona, and John Hoyland, an undrafted free agent out of Wyoming. Naturally, Loop's draft status gave him an early edge, but now, it's a bit harder to tell where things stand.

Loop had a couple of rough showings throughout OTAs, most notably making just five of nine attempts during the final session on June 11. Hoyland, on the other hand, has been pretty consistent throughout the offseason program.

With mandatory minicamp now in the rear-view mirror, The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec noted that the kicker competition appears very close heading into training camp next month.

"Knowing they were likely to release longtime standout Justin Tucker, the Ravens did extensive work on all the available kickers in the draft and decided Arizona’s Tyler Loop was the guy they wanted. They used a sixth-round pick to make sure they got him," Loop is still the favorite to succeed Tucker, but it appears the Ravens are headed for their first training camp kicking competition since Tucker beat out Billy Cundiff before the 2012 season."

"Loop had a few rocky offseason practices, opening the door for John Hoyland, an undrafted rookie out of Wyoming. Hoyland’s form has been good enough to suggest the Ravens could have a difficult decision to make late in the preseason."

Expecting either rookie to come in and replace Tucker, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, is wholly unrealistic. Patience is the key here, and luckily, the Ravens seem to understand that. Head coach John Harbaugh sounded pleased with the rookies' progress after minicamp last week, which is a good sign for the future.