5 Problems Ravens Fans Have With Tyler Loop — Are They Justified or Unjustified?

The Baltimore Ravens have a question at kicker heading into the 2026 season, and it is a question that deserves attention. Tyler Loop has shown that he has the leg to be an NFL kicker, but after a difficult preseason and the arrival of Jake Moody, Ravens fans have every reason to wonder whether Loop is ready to handle the pressure that comes with kicking for Baltimore.

Loop entered the 2026 season with plenty to prove. His rookie season included some impressive moments, but it also ended with a missed 44-yard field goal against Pittsburgh that eliminated the Ravens from playoff contention. Now, after missing two long field goals against Washington in the preseason finale, the pressure surrounding Loop has increased.

So, are Ravens fans justified in their concerns?

In some cases, absolutely. In others, fans may be expecting too much from a young kicker who is still developing.

Here are five of the biggest concerns surrounding Tyler Loop.

1. The Week 18 Miss Still Haunts Ravens Fans

This is easily the biggest concern.

Loop's rookie season ended with a 44-yard field-goal attempt against Pittsburgh that went wide. The miss ended Baltimore's playoff hopes and allowed the Steelers to advance to the postseason.

For Ravens fans, that kick is difficult to forget.

When a kicker misses a potentially season-saving field goal, that moment becomes part of his reputation. It doesn't matter that Loop was a rookie or that he had made plenty of important kicks throughout the season. When fans remember the 2025 season, that missed field goal will be one of the first things that comes to mind.

However, holding that one kick against Loop forever isn't fair.

He was a rookie playing in an enormous situation. The kick was certainly makeable, but the pressure was enormous. One mistake shouldn't automatically determine whether a player is capable of having a successful career.

Loop has an opportunity to change the narrative.

Every kicker eventually misses an important kick. The great ones are remembered for how they respond afterward.

Verdict: JUSTIFIED

Ravens fans are justified in remembering the miss because of what was at stake. They are not justified in believing that one kick proves Loop cannot become a dependable NFL kicker.

2. His Long-Range Accuracy Is Becoming a Concern

This is another legitimate concern.

Loop finished the preseason 5-for-8 on field-goal attempts, including misses from 51 and 58 yards against Washington.

There is nothing unusual about a kicker missing a 58-yard attempt. Those are difficult kicks, even for experienced NFL kickers.

The bigger issue is whether Loop can consistently make the kicks Baltimore will need him to make during the regular season.

The Ravens don't necessarily need Loop to make every kick from 55 or 60 yards. They need him to be dependable from the 30s and 40s and capable of making longer kicks when the opportunity presents itself.

That is where the evaluation becomes important.

A reliable kicker gives an offense confidence. Coaches can be more aggressive when they know they have a legitimate scoring option once the offense crosses midfield.

If Baltimore isn't confident in Loop's range or accuracy, offensive decisions could change.

That makes his preseason performance worth watching.

Verdict: JUSTIFIED

The concern is reasonable. Loop doesn't have to make every long kick, but he needs to demonstrate that his range and accuracy can be trusted.

3. Ravens Fans Are Comparing Him to Justin Tucker

This is where some of the criticism becomes unfair.

Tyler Loop is not Justin Tucker.

And nobody should expect him to be.

Tucker established himself as one of the greatest kickers in NFL history during his long career with Baltimore. He became the standard for consistency and delivered countless clutch kicks for the Ravens.

Replacing someone like that was never going to be easy.

Loop was drafted in the sixth round because Baltimore believed he had the ability to develop into a starting NFL kicker. The team wasn't expecting him to walk onto the field and immediately become another Tucker.

Loop's rookie numbers actually give Baltimore plenty of reason to remain patient.

He made 30 of 34 field-goal attempts during the 2025 regular season, an 88.2 percent conversion rate. He also made 44 of 46 extra-point attempts.

Those numbers aren't perfect, but they are certainly respectable for a rookie.

Loop has also demonstrated plenty of leg strength.

The problem isn't whether he can kick a football a long distance. The problem is whether he can do it consistently when the pressure is at its highest.

That is something he will have to prove over time.

Verdict: UNJUSTIFIED

Comparing Loop to Tucker isn't fair. Ravens fans can expect Loop to be reliable without expecting him to immediately reach the level of a future Hall of Fame kicker.

4. His Practice Success Isn't Translating Enough to Games

This may be the most important concern of all.

Loop has looked very good at times during practices and training camp. He has demonstrated accuracy from a variety of distances and has shown that he has plenty of leg strength.

But games are different.

There is a scoreboard.

There is a clock.

There is pressure.

There are thousands of fans watching.

And sometimes there is a season riding on one kick.

Loop acknowledged after the preseason finale that he had been striking the ball well during practice but didn't hit the two missed kicks the way he had been hitting the ball previously.

That's something the Ravens need to monitor.

Practice success is important because it shows what a player is capable of doing. But eventually, that success has to show up when the games count.

The Ravens need Loop to take the confidence he has shown during practice and carry it into regular-season games.

If he does that, the conversation changes quickly.

If he doesn't, Baltimore may have to consider other options.

Verdict: JUSTIFIED

This is a legitimate concern, but it is also something that can improve with experience.

5. The Ravens Have Now Added Jake Moody

This is where the situation becomes much more interesting.

Baltimore recently added Jake Moody to the practice squad, giving the Ravens another kicker with NFL experience.

That move doesn't necessarily mean Loop is finished.

It does mean the Ravens are not going to simply ignore their concerns at the position.

Moody was a third-round pick by San Francisco and has experience kicking in NFL games. Bringing him into the organization gives Baltimore another player to evaluate and gives Loop some competition.

Competition isn't necessarily bad.

In fact, it could help Loop.

He knows there is now another kicker waiting for an opportunity. That means every practice matters, every kick matters and every regular-season opportunity matters.

At the same time, Baltimore has protected itself.

If Loop struggles early in the season, the Ravens now have another option available.

That is smart roster management.

The Ravens shouldn't keep a player at an important position simply because they drafted him. At the same time, they shouldn't cut a young player after one poor preseason if they believe he has the ability to develop.

The best approach is to let the competition play out.

Verdict: JUSTIFIED

The Ravens were right to bring in another kicker. It gives the team insurance and gives Loop another reason to perform at his best.

Should the Ravens Move on From Tyler Loop?

Not yet.

There is a difference between saying Tyler Loop needs to improve and saying Tyler Loop cannot be an NFL kicker.

The first statement is absolutely fair.

The second isn't supported by his career so far.

Loop has already demonstrated that he can make NFL field goals. His 2025 numbers were solid for a rookie, and his leg strength is obvious.

The question is whether he can become consistent.

That's the most important word surrounding Loop right now.

Consistency.

The Ravens don't need a kicker who makes five kicks in practice and then misses the two most important attempts in a game.

They need someone they can trust.

Baltimore has a roster capable of competing for the playoffs. Lamar Jackson remains one of the league's most dangerous quarterbacks, the defense has plenty of talent and the Ravens have built a roster designed to compete.

Games can come down to three points.

They can come down to one field goal.

That means the kicking position matters.

The Mental Side of Kicking

There is also a mental component that cannot be ignored.

Once a kicker misses an important kick, it can be difficult to forget it.

Loop's miss against Pittsburgh ended his rookie season and will remain in the back of his mind. Now he has to show that he can move forward instead of allowing that moment to affect his confidence.

The good news is that Loop hasn't run away from the problem.

He has accepted responsibility for his misses and understands what is expected of him.

That's important.

A kicker cannot change the previous kick.

He can only control the next one.

Loop now has the opportunity to show that he can handle the pressure.

Final Verdict

Ravens fans have legitimate concerns about Tyler Loop, but those concerns shouldn't automatically lead to the conclusion that he needs to be replaced.

The playoff-ending miss: Justified concern.

Long-range accuracy: Justified concern.

Comparing him to Justin Tucker: Unjustified.

Practice success not always translating to games: Justified concern.

Bringing in Jake Moody: Justified decision by the Ravens.

That makes four of the five concerns reasonable, but it doesn't mean Loop should be cut.

It means he has something to prove.

Loop has the leg.

He has already shown NFL-level ability.

Now he needs to show consistency.

The Jake Moody signing gives Baltimore an insurance policy, but it also sends a message to Loop that his position is not guaranteed.

That's probably a good thing.

The Ravens are entering a new era under head coach Jesse Minter, and they are trying to build a team capable of competing for championships.

Every position matters.

Every possession matters.

And every point matters.

Tyler Loop has the opportunity to put the doubts behind him.

The easiest way to do that is not with an interview, a practice kick or a promise.

It's with the next field goal.

Then the next one.

Then the next one.

If Loop consistently makes those kicks when the Ravens need him, the conversation will change quickly.

But until he proves that he can be trusted in those pressure situations, Ravens fans are justified in asking questions.

For now, the best answer is simple:

Give Tyler Loop another opportunity, but make him earn the trust.