The Baltimore Ravens saw a ton of changes this offseason. The coaching staff saw a major shift, and that likely played a part in the team losing so many pieces in free agency. Entering 2026, the Ravens look very different.
One of those areas is an overlooked position, but one that is still valuable: punter. Baltimore lost All-Pro punter Jordan Stout, as he followed John Harbaugh to the New York Giants. In his place, it’ll be sixth-rounder Ryan Eckley.
While punting isn’t a flashy aspect of the game, Eckley needs to perform well out of the gates. The last time a rookie punter took over, it was Stout, and he struggled significantly in his rookie campaign.
With it being a new era under Jesse Minter, though, and the defense looking to do a complete 180, it’d be extremely beneficial if Eckley can scale the rookie wall.
Baltimore Ravens need Ryan Eckley to start hot to make life easy for Jesse Minter and defense
It’s really unfair to expect a strong debut season from a sixth-round pick. Realistically, the pressure on Ryan Eckley shouldn’t be that high. However, although he plays a less premium position, it’s still important for him to punt well in 2026 given the way the defense performed last year.
In 2025, really the only saving grace for the defense was Jordan Stout’s phenomenal season. He boomed an impressive 50.1 yards per punt, pinned 24 punts inside the 20-yard line, and consistently flipped the field. He helped give Baltimore’s atrocious defense at least some chance at stopping the opposing offense (even though stops very rarely occurred). Can Eckley come close to replicating that at all?
The Ravens will undoubtedly take a step back at punter; it’s just a matter if Eckley can avoid the rookie struggles. In the mind of Sports Illustrated’s Jason La Canfora, it’s fair to expect issues from Eckley in the early going. La Canfora wrote:
“Stout had an awful time of things as a rookie, and he really didn’t establish himself as a punter, let alone become a Pro Bowl talent, until his walk season. So it doesn’t seem crazy to wonder if there is a similar learning curve and process ahead for rookie Ryan Eckley.”
If Eckley endures extended struggles as Stout did, that could pose a bit of a problem. It’s not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things since he’s a punter, but punting issues tend to set up the defense in poor positions. And for a Ravens defense that was absolutely horrendous in 2025, someone to help them and Jesse Minter transition to greener pastures would certainly help. It’d be huge if Eckley can be that guy.
For what it’s worth, Eckley had a fantastic start to his professional career during Baltimore’s offseason program. He was a consistent standout throughout those months. However, game action is a completely different animal, as the environment adds a whole new level of stress to the equation. We’ll have to wait and see how the Michigan State product adjusts.
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