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When the Baltimore Ravens used a sixth-round pick on Tyler Loop, it left fans with one major question: Are Justin Tucker's days numbered?
Now sure, in 2024, Tucker was bad. He cost the team games with his missed field goal and extra point attempts, and would have likely faced off against a challenger either way as a result.
But after being accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women, the Loop addition felt more measured, if not a not-so-subtle statement about his future.
Discussing the situation after Day 3, general manager Eric DeCosta broke down why he liked Loop and why he was excited to bring him to town for training camp.
“Yes, I think [Tyler Loop] is a really talented player, and I think that, right now, they're both on the roster, and there's a situation for us where we're just trying to find the best football players,” DeCosta told Ravens reporters. “So, we're excited to see what he can do. I've actually never met Tyler. I'm looking forward to that. He'll be here next week, and we will get a chance to see his leg, and that will help us address what our decision-making is going to be moving forward.”
Asked again, does the Loop addition mean a Tucker subtraction, DeCosta admitted he wasn't sure, noting that he was happy to add the best kicker in this year's class to the team in the pursuit of upgrading the position this fall.
“No, I haven't really thought about that at this point. I just thought [Tyler Loop] was a really talented player, and it made sense for us to do that for a lot of different reasons,” DeCosta said. “We've told you guys multiple times this spring that we would look at kickers, and so, for us, it's like any other position this year. We evaluated all these guys, [and] we felt like he was draftable. We felt like he was the best kicker. It made sense for us to take him.”
Will Loop end up kicking for the Ravens this fall? Or will Tucker get back on track and become his own upgrade? While only time will tell, considering the circumstances, it's clear the Ravens don't want to be caught goofy-footed without a clear kicking option as they pursue a return to the Super Bowl.
