Amid everything that happened during the Baltimore Ravens' tragic 36-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills, it might be easy to forget about Tyler Loop's missed kick. Loop missed a 34-yard chip shot with a massive doink.
Loop's future seemed secure after a 56-yard boot to help the Ravens secure a win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3. However, he's missed three kicks since then, with none of them being from 50 yards or more. It's one thing for a kicker to not have range (which was Loop's problem as a rookie). However, when a kicker fails to convert easy looks, then he becomes a flat-out liability.
The Ravens brought Jake Moody back to the practice squad two weeks ago, signaling a lack of belief in Loop. As Loop's struggles persist, there's reason to believe that he won't stick around.
Loop might also gone on IR with a groin injury, which will give Jake Moody the green light to kick on Thursday. If he impresses, that could be the nail in the coffin for Loop.
But Baltimore shouldn't stop at Moody — there needs to be a better long-term plan at kicker.
The Baltimore Ravens should start searching for a long-term kicker
This season, Loop has converted just 76.5 percent of his kicks, a number that ranks 24th in the league. That's simply not going to cut it, and given how unreliable he is, it's time for a change.
Moody becomes the short-term replacement while Loop is on IR, and he may have an opportunity to win the job for the rest of the season. I'm dubious that he'll have much success, though. For his career, Moody has netted just 78 percent of his kicks. He's not the answer for the Ravens, but he could be a fine stopgap as the Ravens evaluate other long-term options. And at this point in the season, Baltimore won't find a long-term kicker.
Clearly, though, Loop isn't a long-term fit, and the Ravens would be wise to embrace a new direction ASAP. The Ravens will likely look to address this need in the NFL Draft.
Minnesota Golden Gopher Luke Drzewiecki is an intriguing option come draft season. Drzewiecki was at the Ravens rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, but opted to return to school. He's made all 15 of his field goals at Minnesota, including a 60-yard bomb this past weekend.
Baltimore could also look to free agency. In any event, it's time for Eric DeCosta to start looking at a long-term kicker.
Honestly, this might seem like small potatoes. At this point, the Ravens' season is hanging on life support. With Lamar Jackson on IR and possibly missing the rest of the season, the team has a 4-4 record, and making the playoffs feels unlikely. The offensive line and defense both look disastrous, and this isn't a contending team.
A roster reset may be coming soon ahead of the trade deadline, and as the Ravens evaluate their future, cutting ties with Loop is an easy move to make. Again, this flaw won't truly be addressed until the offseason, but Loop isn't inspiring confidence. Eventually, the time should come to rip the band-aid off and fill this need in the offseason.
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