Steelers' AFC North Rival Ravens Have Big Problem Emerging At Important Position: "Rocky Offseason"

The Pittsburgh Steelers are part of one of the NFL's toughest divisions. The AFC North consistently produces some of the better competition throughout each professional season, and it has only gotten more difficult since the Cleveland Browns have performed a little bit better under Head Coach Kevin Stefanski. Games often are extremely close, regardless of where any of the teams are located in the standings. This fact has made all three phases of the game pivotal, and the Baltimore Ravens were very lucky to have the leg of Justin Tucker since 2012, but he is now a free agent after over a decade.

Tucker faced several accusations off the field, which ultimately led to his release, regardless of what Head Coach John Harbaugh has said about the move being a "multi-layered decision". The team decided to invest via the draft for its new long-term kicker, and Tyler Loop was selected out of the University of Arizona in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

It's hard to measure just how important Tucker was to the Ravens during his time with the organization, but he was consistently labeled as the best kicker in the league, and, at times, the best of all time. Once he began to struggle a bit in the middle of the 2023 season, questions arose about how much longer he could accurately kick at an elite level, particularly from over 50 yards.

Now that Tucker is gone, the Ravens would like to believe that they can rely on someone just as they did with Tucker. Unfortunately, it's not that easy. In a recent piece for The Athletic, Jeff Zrebiec, who covers Baltimore for the publication, wrote that there is already a competition battle emerging for the lone kicker spot, and it appears as if the sixth-rounder may not be in line to take over after all.

"Loop had a few rocky offseason practices, opening the door for John Hoyland, an undrafted rookie out of Wyoming," Zrebiec wrote. "Hoyland’s form has been good enough to suggest the Ravens could have a difficult decision to make late in the preseason."

This is relatively big news. Kickers are often not as appreciated as they should be, but Steelers fans seem to recognize how important Chris Boswell is to the franchise. A lot of games within the AFC North come down to field goals, and if Baltimore can't figure out the position in the near future, it could present some problems for the coaching staff and front office.

In 2024, the Steelers hosted the Ravens at home and won by a score of 18-16. The difference was Boswell nailed six out of six field goals, while Tucker found a way to miss two out of his three attempts. This ended up ultimately being the difference in the game. If it weren't for Pittsburgh's late-season slide, the division would have been won by the Steelers, and arguably because of Tucker's right leg.

It's not going to be easy for the Ravens to find a kicker that can be as consistent as Tucker was for so long, but the pressure is already on. With Boswell remaining in the prime of his career, Baltimore can't afford to lose the special teams battle when playing the Steelers. If a rookie kicker is struggling during offseason activities with no fans around, one can only imagine what it might be like when the lights are shining bright.

Steelers Now Officially Have The Best Kicker In The AFC North

It hasn't been much of a debate since Tucker began to slide, but Boswell has established himself as the best kicker in the division. He might very well have an argument as the most consistent in the entire league. This is a strong advantage that Pittsburgh has, and it could go a long way in deciding tight AFC North games as the 2025 season ramps up.

Do you think that the Steelers have a massive advantage over the Ravens, or does the kicker position not matter that much? Let us know in the comments below!

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