Baltimore Ravens rookie kicker Tyler Loop is officially the successor to Justin Tucker.
«He'll be the kicker,» Ravens coach John Harbaugh said after Saturday night's 31-13 preseason win over the Cowboys in Dallas. «He's earned it.»
Harbaugh's announcement came after an impressive performance by Loop. He made 5 of 6 field goals on Saturday, including ones from 51 and 53 yards.
When told that Harbaugh named him the Ravens' kicker, Loop told reporters in Dallas, «That's fun.»
The Ravens selected Loop in the sixth round this year, making him the first kicker to be drafted in the franchise's 30-year history. Nine days later, Baltimore cut Tucker, who was being investigated by the NFL at that time for sexual misconduct. Tucker, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, has since been suspended by the league for violating the personal conduct policy.
Loop won over the Ravens during spring workouts and training camp with his strong leg and consistency. Baltimore cut undrafted rookie kicker John Hoyland on Aug. 2, which made Loop the only kicker on the roster. A day later, Loop crushed a 60-yard field goal at a practice at M&T Bank Stadium.
But Harbaugh declined to name Loop the team's kicker at that point, saying the job would be decided by what Loop did in the preseason games. He is 6-of-8 in the preseason, missing from 46 and 50 yards.
«He'll get another chance to get back out there next week and kick some more and just keep improving,» Harbaugh said. «But I just appreciate the fact that he wants to make them all, but he had a good night.»
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