Ravens GM Eric DeCosta Explains Why Team Drafted Kicker Amid Justin Tucker Investigation
The Baltimore Ravens' decision to take Arizona kicker Tyler Loop in the sixth round of the NFL Draft left many fans speculating about the future of Justin Tucker.
The selection of Loop with the 186th pick marks the first time in franchise history that Baltimore drafted a kicker — and it comes just three months after Tucker was accused of sexual misconduct. The Ravens' longtime kicker is currently facing allegations of inappropriate behavior by 16 massage therapists from eight spas and wellness centers across the Baltimore area.
The NFL has launched an investigation into the allegations.
Tyler Loop is the first-ever kicker drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. The timing of the selection raised some eyebrows as Justin Tucker's future with the team remains uncertain.
(Imagn-Images)
Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said he "periodically" gets updates on the investigation, but it's too early to speculate whether it will be Tucker or Loop filling that roster spot come September.
"I haven’t really thought about that at this point," DeCosta told reporters on Saturday. "I just thought [Loop] was a really talented player, and it made sense for us to do that for a lot of different reasons. We’ve told you guys multiple times this spring that we would look at kickers, and so, for us, it’s like any other position this year. We evaluated all these guys, we felt like he was draftable. We felt like he was the best kicker. It made sense for us to take him."
Will The Ravens Move On From Justin Tucker?
While it's easy to speculate that Tucker's legal situation played a role in the team's decision to draft Loop, it's also reasonable to assert that the team should explore its options at the kicking position.
Tucker has been with the Ravens since 2012 and was one of the league's most accurate kickers for most of that span. But the 35-year-old is coming off his worst season ever. The five-time First-Team All-Pro hit just 73.3% of his field goals in 2024, marking the first time in his career that he finished below 85%.
Justin Tucker is a seven-time Pro Bowler.
(Katie Stratman-Imagn Images)
The Ravens also made clear before the draft that they'd be looking for kickers.
"It's worth it if you have the right kicker," DeCosta said on April 15. "It just depends on the [draft] board. It depends on the player. It depends who's there. It depends on how your coaches see him."
Apparently, the coaches saw something in Loop, who had accuracy struggles of his own in college. During his final season at Arizona in 2024, he hit just 78.3% of his field goals. He was only 61.5% from 50 yards and longer over the past two seasons.
Loop's most impressive feat, though, came during a 27-3 win over the Houston Cougars in November when he drilled a 62-yarder to set a program record for the Wildcats.
DeCosta said at the Scouting Combine that while the allegations against Tucker are "concerning," the Ravens will not make a decision until the league completes its investigation.