Ravens Kicker Tyler Loop Remains On Their Roster ... For Now

The Ravens did not move on from kicker Tyler Loop in their initial 53-man roster, according to a source with knowledge of the situation, but they continue to consider potential upgrades at several positions as players are waived and released around the league..

Head coach Jesse Minter had been projecting confidence in the struggling young kicker, whose rookie season ended with a 44-yard miss at Pittsburgh in Week 17 that knocked the Ravens from the playoffs, right up until Friday night, when Loop missed twice in the second half of a blowout win over the Commanders at M&T Bank Stadium.

The Ravens would likely want to conduct a kicker competition and workout other options before signing another kicker, which wouldn't be able to take place until this week. They could carry two kickers for a spell if need be as well, with significant roster flexibility with two weeks until they face the Colts Week 1. Nothing has been explicitly communicated to Loop about his status as he has been the only kicker in camp, and he is trying to stick with his process and improve his in-game results.

The Ravens drafted Loop in 2025 to replace disgraced former kicker Justin Tucker, and he had a solid rookie year, but could not execute kicks from length (beyond 50) and began to falter with his kickoffs down the stretch and then begged major questions about his ability to shake off that big miss against the Steelers with the AFC North title on the line.

The Ravens refused to bring in veteran competition for him all offseason despite there being myriad options, choosing instead to hand him the job throughout training camp. There are considerably fewer options available now in free agency, but kickers are being cut around the league and the Ravens believe strongly in the ability of special teams assistant Randy Brown to evaluate them.

Friday Night Funk

Both of Loop’s misses Friday were beyond 50 yards, and he missed his first kick of the exhibition season and also pushed kicks wide of the mark in the team’s scrimmage at College Park. He went 5-of-8 in the preseason and projected confidence and belief in his process throughout, but he is performing in the ultimate execution position.

The Ravens are installing a brand new offense with a novice coordinator who has never called plays before, and points could be at a premium with so much new on that side of the ball to start the season.

“I think you want to see makes in games,” Minter said after Friday’s game, in a decided change of tone, “and so it’s something we’ll continue to look at. We’ll continue to look at what the best situation is there.”

Loop said after the game: "My job is to go make kicks. That is the expectation every time I go on the field. The 10 guys that are with me and the other guys on the sideline, they expect me to make the kick. That is my job, and I have to do that. When it does not happen, it is frustrating. When it does happen, it is fun. That is just the nature of the job."

The Ravens clearly see potential in Loop and have been averse to suggestions that they need to try to improve at this position. But Minter was much more open to it Friday night and it would be shocking if they don't at least discuss players being released elsewhere with NFL experience, like Blake Grupe (released by the Colts).

Entering the final week of preseason, veteran kickers Matt Prater (who has a playoff pedigree but has struggled, too, from distance at age 42), Brandon McManus (who was once an elite kicker in Denver but has been in decline) and Graham Gano, 39 were still looking for a team. Tucker has not been signed by a team after serving a 10-game suspension last year that he agreed to with the NFL and NFLPA.

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