The Ravens’ kicking situation has turned into a full-blown scramble.
Baltimore already had enough on its plate with Lamar Jackson out for the rest of the year, and now the 4-5 team is trying to patch together the most fragile spot on the roster after losing Tyler Loop to injured reserve. Loop is set to miss at least three more weeks starting in Week 10, which left the Ravens hunting for a replacement.
They thought they had one in Jake Moody, who was in line to handle the job. But the Atlanta Falcons swooped in and signed him off Baltimore’s practice squad, forcing the Ravens to move fast.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Baltimore answered by adding two kickers: former Rams kicker Harrison Mevis to the practice squad and Riley Patterson to the 53-man roster.
"The Ravens also signed former Rams kicker Harrison Mevis to their practice squad, in addition to Riley Patterson to their 53-man roster, per me and @MikeGarafolo. All eyes on the kicking game in practice this week," Rapoport reports.
That means the Ravens now have a short window to sort out who actually gets the nod. Patterson looks like the early favorite after landing on the active roster, but Mevis still has a shot to push his way into the job if he looks better in practice.
Baltimore has three days to settle the issue before Monday night’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers, when Jacoby Brissett will make his Ravens debut. The opponent is winless, but the kicking competition is still very much unsettled as Thursday morning arrives.
For now, Patterson is the likeliest starter. But if Jesse Minter and the Ravens decide Mevis has the stronger week, the job could still change before kickoff.
In Other News...
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For Atlanta, the timing matters because Kansas Citys offense can look very different depending on who is available in the run game. Reid said the team will evaluate Walker before deciding whether he can go, and if he cannot, rookie Emmett Johnson is in line to step in. It is the kind of development the Falcons will be watching closely as they try to prepare for whatever version of the Chiefs shows up. [Read more 🡒]
