The Baltimore Ravens don’t need much convincing that they’ve had a special relationship with the kicker spot for most of their existence. The real question now is whether Tyler Loop can become the next one to hold it down.
That answer is still coming, but the early signs at camp are encouraging enough to keep the Ravens from panicking. Loop opened training camp by going 3-for-3 on live field goals Friday, and he backed that up later by drilling a 43-yarder after being iced during Saturday practice at the University of Maryland’s SECU Stadium. That kick saved the team from pushups and offered a clean little snapshot of where he stands right now: imperfect, but bouncing back.
Special teams coordinator Anthony Levine Sr. sees the growth too. Asked about Loop’s progression from his rookie season to year two, Levine pointed to the learning curve that comes with life in the league.
“Coming in last year as a rookie, [Loop] didn’t know any better. He didn’t know how to be a pro,” Levine said.
“Once you get that year under your belt … you find a rhythm. Now you understand how to be a pro, how to take care of your body.
Now he has a really good program, so he’s ready to go.”
That kind of confidence matters because Loop’s first season was serviceable, but not exactly the kind of year that settles a kicking job for good. He made 30 of 34 field goals, an 88.2% clip, and hit 44 of 46 extra points.
The trouble showed up when the Ravens asked for more. He went just 1-for-4 from 50 yards and beyond, and his kickoff work was a problem throughout the year.
Those two areas are the ones Baltimore needs to see cleaned up if Loop is going to turn from placeholder into answer. The good news is that the 24-year-old has already shown in practice that he can drive the ball from distance. The challenge now is carrying that into games when the pressure is real and the crowd is loud.
Levine’s comments suggest the Ravens believe the year-one adjustment is behind him. Loop had to absorb the NFL’s new kickoff rules, settle into the pro routine, and learn how to handle the rhythm of the job. That sort of thing doesn’t happen overnight, especially for a kicker who has to make every miss count in public.
Still, the proof has to show up when the season starts. Baltimore has seen this movie before, including last offseason, and Loop’s rookie year didn’t fully live up to the promise. For now, though, camp has given the Ravens a reason to be cautiously optimistic.
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