Sixth-round rookie Tyler Loop has performed well enough to win the Ravens’ kicker competition, but how he fares during the preseason will matter.
The Ravens waived undrafted kicker John Hoyland on Saturday in one of several roster moves. Loop is the only kicker remaining in camp, which is a good sign for his chances to be the man heading into Week 1. However, Head Coach John Harbaugh said Hoyland’s departure was more about the team needing his roster spot.
“It’s probably more about roster than anything else,” Harbaugh said. “We definitely weren’t planning on making a move. We were planning on John being there at least for one game, maybe two games, maybe all the [preseason] games, depending on how it went.
“If you’re the drafted kicker, you certainly have the edge. We wanted to keep the pressure on both of them. But we just had roster moves right now, we just needed certain positions — at tight ends, receivers, running back.”
Loop didn’t have any live kicks Saturday, but he has been 40-for-44 on field goals so far in training camp.
Harbaugh said Loop had a strong workout Saturday morning at M&T Bank Stadium, before returning to the Under Performance Center for the team’s afternoon practice.
“He’s kicking well enough to win the job,” Harbaugh said. “He had another really good day this morning. They went over to the stadium, and he made them all, so that’s all good. But as we know, it’s going to be the games that’s going to mean the most.”