This offseason was a chance for Loop to reassure people that he could still be Baltimore's kicker for the foreseeable future. The Ravens furthered their belief in Loop by not bringing in another kicker to compete with him for the starting job.
The results were mixed. Loop kicked well during offseason practices, then went 5-of-8 on field goals in the preseason, missing from 49, 51, and 58 yards away. After the Ravens' preseason finale, in which Loop went 2-of-4, Head Coach Jesse Minter said that the Ravens would "continue to look at what the best situation is there." A few days later, Baltimore signed Jake Moody to their practice squad.
Like Loop, Moody has had similar ups and downs in the NFL. He went 21-of-25 on field goals and made all but one extra-point attempt in his rookie season with the San Francisco 49ers. He made three field goals in the Super Bowl. Hethen went just 24-of-34 on field goals in 2024, including a missed game-winner against the Cleveland Browns from 41 yards.
After going just 1-of-3 in last year's season-opener, including a miss from 27 yards, the 49ers cut Moody. He got a fresh start in Chicago and bounced back, going 8-of-9 with the Bears, including a game-winning 38-yarder against the Washington Commanders. He then went 10-of-11 with the Commanders, including a 32-yarder against the Denver Broncos that sent the game to overtime.
Minter said that he expects Loop to be the Ravens' kicker in Week 1. Regardless of who the kicker is, being consistent and clutch will be key, especially if Baltimore has a top-10 offense and defense, which is very realistic.
If Baltimore's kicker can come through in big-time spots and from long range, that would be a huge help to the Ravens. If not, Baltimore could see another game or two slip away in part due to missed kicks.