Justin Tucker ready to deliver big hits with NFL's new kickoff rules

Justin Tucker and the Baltimore Ravens are not longer allowed to assume the kickoff return is a semi-dead play that will often end in a touchback. With new rules originally tested in the XFL Now installed, the league is trying to make kickoffs a more exciting and active play.

The new rules will allow the 10 non-kicker coverage players to line up on the opposing team's 40-yard line, just five yards away from the receiving team. This is meant to both decrease the number of high-speed collisions and encourage returners to take the ball out more often.

In this new alignment, the kicker could be the last line of defense. Not willing to let the Ravens give up a touchdown due to his puny frame, Tucker has been putting on some weight to become a more effective tackler on returns.

"This might be really surprising to a lot of you guys and a lot of my teammates because I don't hang out in the weight room too frequently," Tucker said. "Now I got to get some more shrugs, get the traps going a little bit, just to make sure I'm prepared for a little bit more contact."

Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker putting on weight to become a better tackler

Tucker has recorded just eight tackles in his career, so he's far from an extra Roquan Smith. However, Tucker took note of the fact that 25% of kickoff returns in the XFL ended with the kicker getting involved. They can't afford to be complete wastes of talent.

The Ravens were right in the middle of the pack in terms of yards per return allowed. Despite Tucker's big leg, the Ravens allowed 23.0 yards per return. With Baltimore's high-powered offense giving them more chances to kick off than most teams, only the Cowboys allowed more total kick return yards.

The new kickoff changes have to be front and center for Harbaugh (a former special teams coach) and the rest of the Ravens. Paying local product and ace returner Deonte Harty gives them an expert return ace to replace Devin Duvernay, and some spots on the back end of the roster could be determined by how well they perform on kick coverage

While the Ravens likely don't want Tucker putting himself in dangerous situations due to how great he is at his primary job, expect one or two longer returns to end with the future Hall of Fame kicker chopping down the ball carrier and saving the Ravens some points.