ExtremeRavens Posted August 2 Posted August 2 The Ravens kicking battle took a turn Saturday. Baltimore released undrafted rookie free agent John Hoyland, leaving sixth-round rookie Tyler Loop as the lone kicker currently on its roster just two weeks into training camp. Coach John Harbaugh said after practice that the move was made for roster reasons. “We definitely weren’t planning on making a move,” he said. “We were planning on John being there for at least one [preseason] game, maybe two games, maybe all the games depending how it went. “We just had roster needs right now.” Among those needs were adding a pair of tight ends to account for the loss of Isaiah Likely, who is expected to miss at least the next six weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot that he suffered earlier in the week. To fill the void, the Ravens signed Scotty Washington, 28, and former Kansas City Chiefs reserve Baylor Cupp, 25. In corresponding moves, the Ravens also brought back veteran defensive end Brent Urban, 34, and signed former Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns running back D’Ernest Johnson, 29, with undrafted rookie free agent Marcus Major Jr. dealing with a concussion. To make room for them, they also released tight end Sam Pitz and outside linebacker Diwun Black. As for Loop, Harbaugh said he has kicked well enough so far to win the job, though he stopped short of declaring him Baltimore’s starting kicker. Though Loop did not take any kicks during Saturday’s practice, Harbaugh said that he practiced at M&T Bank Stadium earlier in the day and made all of his attempts. Baltimore will have its annual stadium practice Sunday. “But as we know, it’s gonna be the games that mean the most,” Harbaugh said of Loop, the first kicker the organization used a draft pick on in its 30-year existence. The Ravens’ first preseason game is Thursday night against the Indianapolis Colts in Baltimore. Up until Saturday, both kickers had performed similarly, with Loop converting 40 of 44 field goal attempts and Hoyland making 28 of 32, though Loop has looked more the part with a powerful leg. “Tyler’s kicking the ball great,” special teams coordinator Chris Horton said Thursday. “The ball sounds awesome coming off his foot. “We just have to find that consistency from the field that we’re practicing on early in practice, when we go over as a team, and we’re together, we are continuing to see the same swings and the same ‘foot the ball.’ Other than that, I think he’s doing a heck of a job.” Each had been competing to replace the embattled Justin Tucker, who was released by the Ravens earlier this offseason shortly before he was suspended 10 weeks by the NFL after facing sexual misconduct allegations from more than 15 massage therapists at Baltimore-area spas. Harbaugh had hoped to identify a replacement for Tucker by the third week of training camp or so. But with Hoyland’s release, that decision has likely been made, though Harbaugh didn’t rule out bringing back Hoyland if Loop struggles and if he’s still available. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article Quote
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