ExtremeRavens Posted August 3 Posted August 3 Tyler Loop stood near the 25-yard line, a wall of teammates behind him and the special teams unit separating the rookie from the bright yellow uprights. It was his first time kicking in front of a crowd at M&T Bank Stadium. He lifted his head and flapped his arms, urging a bit of commotion from the fans. Ravens coaches were behind them, telling punter-holder Jordan Stout, “Stop it!” Stout loved Loop’s confidence. The crowd of 26,053 fans responded. And Loop did his part, connecting on all 12 kicks. Five of them were extra-point tries. Two were chip shots, inside 25 yards. Three were between 35 and 45 yards. One was a 56-yarder. And the highlight of the day — a 60-yard bomb that sailed between the uprights — earned the largest ovation of training camp. “I was just having fun,” Loop said, adding later, “It’s been seven or eight months since I’ve played in a game. It just feels good to be back.” Coach John Harbaugh said Loop passed with flying colors, grading him an A+++. “For him to get through that and now know, ‘Hey, you know you can do it. You know how to do it.’ That’s the kind of guy he is. Not surprised but certainly very happy.” Loop has been near perfect in training camp. The rookie had one poor day last week, missing 3 of 8. He missed one 50-plus yarder on Thursday, but kept everything between the uprights during his first practice kicking in a pressure cooker, bringing his total count to 52 of 56. Stout was hooting and hollering after every make. “You can’t stop him! He’s unstoppable!” Stout shouted. “It’s not like he hasn’t been doing that already, but to see him do that in front of all those fans with the confidence and the poise he showed, it gave me a lot of confidence in him.” Barring an injury or a total collapse, the Ravens’ kicking job is now Loop’s. Baltimore cut his competition, undrafted rookie John Hoyland, before Saturday’s practice. Loop said that having a partner out there made him better, “No doubt.” “I’m focused on me now,” Loop said. “And what I’m competing with is myself.” He’s trying to avoid thinking about having won the first kicking competition in Baltimore since 2012. The Ravens cut Justin Tucker two weeks after drafting a kicker for the first time in the organization’s history. All eyes have been on the positional battle since. These fans aren’t used to seeing daily, detailed make-and-miss tracking. Loop has done his best to keep blinders on to avoid that pressure. “Tuck is incredible. I would say he is the greatest of all time at this position,” Loop said. “And he got there by being process-oriented. Picking his targets, hitting his targets. That’s something [special teams coordinator] Randy [Brown] and I have talked a lot about is, ‘Hey, we’re gonna build your process. We’re gonna stick to it. We’re gonna go out and do the best we can do with that.’” So far in camp, reporters and fans have watched Loop connect from 60 and 63 yards. There was one made kick that the team’s social media account posted of him, without a defense, from 68 yards. But what’s the longest that Stout has seen? Baltimore’s kicking operation uses a Trackman to get that kind of insight. After every kick, the device normally used in golf, spits out the apex of the ball, rotations per second and the distance. The furthest distance Stout has seen the Trackman record for a Loop kick is 78 yards. He didn’t attempt or make a 78-yard field goal, but Loop’s leg strength carried that attempt 78 total yards. Sunday’s 60-yarder into the breeze would have been good from 68. “I’ve been around a lot of people,” Stout told The Baltimore Sun. “I think he has the biggest leg I’ve ever seen.” “I’ve been around a lot of people,” Ravens punter/holder Jordan Stout, left, said of kicker Tyler Loop. “I think he has the biggest leg I’ve ever seen.” (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) That’s lofty praise from the guy who held kicks for Tucker the past three seasons (Tucker’s NFL-record 66-yarder was in 2021, before Stout was drafted). But Stout isn’t making that comparison directly. “Right now,” Loop said, “our goal is just to match good foot to ball contact and pick our targets and hit it there and just trust our line, trust our targets. I’m super fortunate I got [long snapper] Nick [Moore] and Jordan, who are incredible. Make my job really fun and really easy. Getting out here, it was a blast.” Loop didn’t show up in Baltimore with the confidence of a guy who can hype up the M&T Bank Stadium crowd and nail a 60-yarder minutes later. Calling him “scared” was too strong of a word, Stout said, but he’s noticed the rookie’s demeanor before each kick steadily improve with every make. “But as we know,” Harbaugh said, “it’s going to be the games that’s going to mean the most.” Don’t expect preseason stars The Ravens return to M&T Bank Stadium on Thursday night for their preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts. Don’t expect to see the likes of Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry or other prominent names. “You’re not going to see the top guys [in the preseason game],” Harbaugh said. “The guys you probably wouldn’t expect to see, you won’t be seeing in this game. So, we’re going to try to get that work done with those guys on Tuesday.” Baltimore has a pair of joint practices coming up. First with the Colts in town on Tuesday, then against the Washington Commanders later this month. From left, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, guard Daniel Faalele, offensive lineman Andrew Vorhees and running back Derrick Henry stand during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens tackle Ronnie Stanley watches during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Anthony Miller fights to separate from cornerback Marquise Robinson during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Steve Bisciotti, majority owner of the Baltimore Ravens smiles with Eric DeCosta, executive vice president and general manager during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Devontez Walker jogs during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell runs the ball in front of defensive lineman Adedayo Odeleye and cornerback Reuben Lowery during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jaire Alexander throws during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell stands by during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill holds the football during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens wide receiver LaJohntay Wester looks up for a pass during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens tackle Ronnie Stanley tosses a water bottle during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens wide receivers Rashod Bateman and Jahmal Banks watch a play during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens wide receiver LaJohntay Wester runs a route during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey defends during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins waits for the snap during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens’ Brent Urban during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens wide receiver LaJohntay Wester watches for the snap during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson waits for a snap during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens wide receiver LaJohntay Wester smiles during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens head football coach John Harbaugh watches during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey defends during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman runs during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Xavier Guillory runs a route as cornerback Reuben Lowery defends during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins runs during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews smiles during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden stands during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson passes during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson fakes a handoff to running back Justice Hill during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Steve Bisciotti, owner of the Baltimore Ravens watches camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens special teams consultant Sam Koch during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens fans cheer during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Bentley Boisbert of Boothbay Harbor, Maine looks at eight-year-old daughter Raeghan Boisbert after making their 11-1/2 hour trip to watch the Baltimore Ravens during training camp at the stadium in Baltimore. Boisbert says that he makes it to every preseason and home game.(Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Bentley Boisbert of Boothbay Harbor, Maine and eight-year-old daughter Raeghan Boisbert watch the Baltimore Ravens after making their 11-1/2 hour trip to during training camp at the stadium in Baltimore. Boisbert says that he makes it to every preseason and home game.(Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Sara Hantgan of Pikesville stands to cheer the Baltimore Ravens during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Show Caption1 of 34From left, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, guard Daniel Faalele, offensive lineman Andrew Vorhees and running back Derrick Henry stand during camp at the stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Expand Injuries and attendance Wide receiver Devontez Walker returned to practice after missing Saturday’s session with what Harbaugh called a “soft tissue deal.” Walker was dressed on Sunday but did not participate in any live 11-on-11 reps. As expected, neither tight end Isaiah Likely (foot) nor running back Marcus Major Jr. (concussion) participated in Sunday’s stadium practice. Rookie cornerback Robert Longerbeam missed his second consecutive practice. Offensive lineman Ozzie Hutchinson, an undrafted rookie, did not practice either. He was presumably the roster move that helped open a spot for running back D’Ernest Johnson. Harbaugh also gave an update on rookie tackle Emery Jones Jr., who has not practiced yet with a shoulder injury. They were hoping to see him out there by the middle of training camp but, “until the doctor says he’s cleared, he’s not cleared.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article Quote
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