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AIPROPX ReportYahoo Sports · 1h ago
Baltimore Ravens 2026 training camp preview: Special Teams
The Baltimore Ravens will enter training camp with stability at kicker and long snapper, but their special teams operation is undergoing a significant transition.
Tyler Loop returns after an encouraging rookie season, while Nick Moore remains one of the NFL’s most established long snappers. The biggest change comes at punter, where sixth-round pick Ryan Eckley is expected to replace first-team All-Pro Jordan Stout. Baltimore also must identify its primary returners and rebuild portions of its coverage units. Those competitions may not generate as much attention as the battles along the offensive line or at inside linebacker. Still, they will influence several decisions when the Ravens construct their 53-man roster.
Tyler Loop returns after a productive rookie season
Loop handled one of the NFL’s most scrutinized jobs reasonably well during his first season. The 2025 sixth-round pick converted 30 of 34 field-goal attempts, an 88.2% success rate, and made 44 of 46 extra-point attempts. He finished with 134 points and a long field goal of 52 yards.
His season ended painfully when he missed a 44-yard attempt that could have sent Baltimore to the playoffs in Week 18. That moment will remain part of Loop’s story entering training camp, but the Ravens have not indicated that they are searching for another kicker.
Loop’s overall rookie performance justified that confidence. He missed only three kicks before the season finale and showed he could respond to the pressure of replacing the most accomplished kicker in franchise history.
The next step is to improve his reliability at longer distances. Loop made nearly everything Baltimore asked of him from inside 50 yards, but the Ravens will want to expand his effective range and make him a greater weapon in late-game situations. With no other kicker on the roster, this summer is about development rather than competition.
Ryan Eckley becomes the Ravens’ new punter.
Eckley initially appeared headed for a training camp competition with undrafted rookie Luke Elzinga. The Ravens waived Elzinga to clear a roster spot for veteran offensive tackle Hakeem Adeniji, leaving Eckley as the only punter on the roster.
Baltimore used the 211th overall selection in the 2026 NFL draft on Eckley, making its expectations clear. He led the Football Bowl Subdivision with a 48.5-yard punting average during his final season at Michigan State and produced 23 punts that traveled at least 50 yards.
Eckley finished his college career with a 47.6-yard average, the highest mark in Big Ten history. He also displayed the placement necessary to pin opponents deep, putting 20 punts inside the 20-yard line during the 2025 season. His combination of power and directional ability made him one of the draft’s most intriguing specialists.
Training camp will determine whether those traits translate immediately. Eckley must demonstrate consistent hang time and placement while learning to work as Loop’s holder. That operation between Eckley, Moore and Loop must become reliable before Baltimore’s regular-season opener.
Replacing Stout will not be a small assignment. Stout led the NFL with a 44.9-yard net average in 2025 before departing during the offseason. Eckley eventually possesses the leg strength to become a similar field-position weapon, but the Ravens will have to accept the possibility of rookie inconsistency.
Nick Moore provides stability to the operation.
Moore is the least discussed member of Baltimore’s specialist group, which is usually a positive sign for a long snapper. The Ravens signed him to a four-year extension in January, reinforcing their confidence in him as the foundation of the field-goal and punting operations.
His presence will be particularly valuable for Eckley. Moore has been Baltimore’s long snapper since 2020 and has worked with several combinations of kickers, punters and holders. That experience should make the transition easier for a rookie punter learning the ins and outs of an NFL operation.
Moore will also serve as an important link between the previous special teams staff and the new structure under coordinator Anthony Levine Sr. and senior special teams coach Randy Brown. Levine was one of the franchise’s most dependable special teams players during his career, while Brown has spent nearly two decades working with Baltimore’s specialists.
LaJohntay Wester leads the return competition.
Wester enters camp as the favorite to retain the primary punt-return job. He returned 16 punts for 198 yards last season, averaging 12.4 yards per attempt, and added 246 yards on 10 kickoff returns. His quickness and ability to create in space give him an advantage over the other candidates. However, ball security will remain important after Wester recorded two fumbles and lost one during his rookie season. Baltimore’s official training camp preview also listed rookie Elijah Sarratt as a punt-return possibility. Sarratt was known more for his size, hands and receiving production in college, but special teams versatility could help him secure an immediate game-day role in a crowded receiver room.
Zay Flowers is capable of handling punts, but the Ravens should have little interest in regularly exposing their No. 1 receiver to additional contact. Wester gives them a natural return specialist without placing one of the offense’s most important players at unnecessary risk.
The kickoff-return competition appears more open. Wester, Rasheen Ali, Justice Hill, Adam Randall and Dayton Wade are among the options. Randall is particularly intriguing because he combines size and athleticism. At 6-foot-3 and 232 pounds, the rookie running back could provide a powerful alternative to the smaller and quicker Wester.
Coverage roles could determine final roster spots.
Special teams will become especially important for players competing near the bottom of Baltimore’s depth chart. Reserve cornerbacks, safeties, linebackers and running backs must demonstrate value beyon...
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