Ravens Waive Rookie Kicker, Likely Settle Competition

The Baltimore Ravens have released one of their rookie kickers, leaving the other as Justin Tucker's heir apparent.

Dec 30, 2023; Tucson, AZ, USA; Wyoming Cowboys place kicker John Hoyland (46) celebrates with offensive MVP trophy after the Wyoming Cowboys beat the Toledo Rockets in the Arizona Bowl at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Ravens have waived rookie kicker John Hoyland, CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz reports.

The #Ravens are releasing kicker John Hoyland, sources tell @CBSSports.

He’d been part of a two-man competition with Tyler Loop to replace Justin Tucker as Baltimore’s kicker. pic.twitter.com/JhtZbo3GMA

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) August 2, 2025

Hoyland, an undrafted free agent out of Wyoming, had been in a competition with fellow rookie Tyler Loop to decide Baltimore's new starting kicker. While the competition appeared fairly even at this point in training camp, Loop apparently had more of an edge than previously thought. He was always the favorite due to his draft status, but it still seemed like the Ravens would at least let both of them get some preseason action.

With this move, Loop is now in line to become Baltimore's new starting kicker and replace Justin Tucker, whom the Ravens released in May following a wave of sexual misconduct allegations. The sixth-round pick out of Arizona has had his ups and downs throughout the offseason, but the Ravens still have faith in him to get the job done.

"Tyler's kicking the ball great. The ball sounds awesome coming off his foot," special teams coordinator Chris Horton told reporters on Thursday. "But then, I think over the last eight days, there might be four [field goal] misses. We just have to find that consistency from the field that we're practicing on early in practice, [and then] when we go over as a team, and we're together, we are continuing to see the same swings and the same 'foot the ball.' Other than that, I think he's doing a heck of a job."

Zenitz also reported that the Ravens have signed tight ends Scotty Washington and Baylor Cupp. Washington was on the Ravens' practice squad for the past two years, while Cupp spent last year on the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad.

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