Veterans will report to Owings Mills on Tuesday as the Ravens begin full-squad training camp later this week.
With expectations sky high for a team light on January success despite advancing to the playoffs in six of the last seven years and being one of the NFL’s top regular-season teams over that period, below are five questions for the special teams as preparations start getting serious for the 2025 season:
1. Who will be the kicker in Week 1 and beyond?
Who’s ready for daily kicking updates complete with statistics? Replacing Justin Tucker sounds easier in the spring than when meaningful games are rapidly approaching, which is why head coach John Harbaugh and the rest of the staff will put more stock into how 2025 sixth-round pick Tyler Loop and undrafted rookie John Hoyland handle the pressure situations that the three preseason games will bring.
The coaching staff likes the talent of both kickers and expects them to fare well in daily practice sessions, but it’s interesting to note that Loop’s first real spring stumble came on a day when team owner Steve Bisciotti was in attendance and watching just a few feet away. Will that prove to be an ominous sign for Loop’s fortunes as the favorite to win the job or serve as a useful learning experience that will help him become a reliable NFL kicker?
To be clear, the Ravens won’t hesitate to add a veteran to the mix if this competition goes sideways early in camp, but conventional thinking suggests we won’t have a real gauge on who’s winning the battle until getting through the first two preseason games against Indianapolis and Dallas. Of course, the winner of the competition may only last as long as his first few misses in the regular season, so this will be a fascinating saga to monitor all season for a team with championship aspirations.
2. Will a return specialist emerge to provide a meaningful boost?
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The 2024 signing of former Pro Bowl selection Deonte Harty proved to be a bust as the local product appeared in just five games because of injuries and didn’t offer much when he was on the field. As a result, the Ravens received little from the return game with DVOA ranking them 24th in punt return value and 15th in kick return value.
Baltimore drafted Colorado wide receiver LaJohntay Wester in the sixth round to be in the punt return conversation and has already stated plans to use third-year running back Keaton Mitchell as a kick returner, which could pay off with the speedster being another year removed from his 2023 knee injury. Of course, veterans such as Tylan Wallace and Justice Hill will remain in the mix as needed.
It’s been a few years since Devin Duvernay made the Pro Bowl as an impact returner, so you’d really like to see the Ravens get back on track in an area that can really provide an edge in tight games.
3. What will a contract year look like for Jordan Stout?
It’s reasonable to have high expectations when drafting a punter in the fourth round like the Ravens did three years ago, but the 26-year-old Stout has been much closer to fine than being a real standout.
That’s not to say the former Penn State product hasn’t had his moments, but Stout has lacked consistency and ranked league average or worse in net punting in each of his first three seasons. Fortunately, the elite Ravens offense doesn’t have to worry as much about punting and field position as most teams, but this figures to be a big year in determining Stout’s future with Baltimore. His role as the holder will also be under the microscope as he helps break in a new kicker.
For what it’s worth, DVOA ranked the Ravens 11th in punt value, which includes the coverage itself in addition to Stout’s performance.
84. Which reserve linebackers will emerge to replace Malik Harrison and Chris Board?
Harrison and Board led Baltimore in special-teams snaps with a combined 718 before departing as free agents in March. The Ravens responded by signing veteran Jake Hummel from the Los Angeles Rams and drafting Teddye Buchanan in the fourth round, so you’d expect those two as well as third-year linebacker Trenton Simpson — who played just over 200 special-teams snaps himself last season — to pick up the slack.
To be clear, this is a common occurrence with the way NFL rosters turn over, but an undrafted rookie like Jay Higgins or Chandler Martin could find himself in the roster conversation by shining in multiple special-teams areas this summer.
5. How will the special teams rebound from a disappointing 2024?
The Ravens had arguably the best offense in the NFL and one of the league’s most improved defenses down the stretch last season, but the special teams ranked 23rd in DVOA after ranking third or better in each of the previous four seasons. Though Tucker having the worst season of his career played a big part in that, the pressure is on special teams coordinator Chris Horton to get this phase of the game back on track, especially when considering Harbaugh’s original area of expertise in the NFL.
You don’t need to have elite special teams to win a Super Bowl, but Tucker’s struggles were a significant factor in multiple losses. And a lackluster return game and penalties also hurt at different points in 2024.
The special teams need to be better.
