Dolphins latest team to give Justin Tucker a trial

The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero notes that the Jets hosted a group workout and are exploring all options at kicker. They already claimed Blake Grupe and re-signed Jason Sanders to their practice squad this week. Tucker worked out for multiple teams last year after serving a 10-game suspension for violating the team’s personal conduct policy. He was never signed and hasn’t kicked in a game since the 2024 season, which was the worst of his career by far. Tucker made just 73.3 percent of his field goal tries.

We can see why the Colts wouldn’t have wanted that to get out ahead of signing Blake Grupe. Still, this is two teams in two weeks that have kicked the tires on Tucker despite his 10-game suspension over sexual misconduct allegations. He’s probably going to continue to get work on the kicker tryout circuit. The Colts also brought in Maddux Trujillo.

Tucker’s 10-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy due to his involvement in sexually inappropriate behavior was lifted two weeks ago. Now, the 36-year-old kicker will have a chance to try out for the Saints, who are looking for a potential upgrade over Blake Grupe after his two missed field goals in Week 12’s loss to the Falcons. Tucker had his worst season as a pro in 2024, converting on a career-low 73.3 percent of his field goal attempts while going 11-for-19 from 40-plus yards. Among other participants in the tryout will be Cade York, who last kicked for the Commanders in 2024, going 0-for-2 on his attempts.

Tucker was released by the Ravens in early May, roughly three months after 16 massage therapists accused Tucker of sexual misconduct. The suspension is the culmination of a multi-month investigation conducted by the NFL. Per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, Tucker may still sign with a team and “attend training camp and play in preseason games before the suspension starts” on August 26. He will be eligible for reinstatement on Tuesday, November 11.

The writing was on the wall after the draft, where Baltimore drafted rookie kicker Tyler Loop as Tucker’s replacement. Tucker has spent most of the late season and offseason dealing with sexual misconduct allegations from massage therapists in Baltimore-area spas, and had by far the worst season of his career in 2024, making 73.3 percent of his 30 field-goal attempts. The Ravens stood by him throughout the process and framed moving on from him as a “football decision” in a statement, but it’s hard to believe they would have moved on from him if not for the allegations. Tucker will likely have to clear his name, as Brandon McManus did this past offseason, before he gets another NFL chance. The NFL’s investigation into Tucker’s behavior is, per CBS’ Jonathan Jones, still “under review.”

Reporters asked Harbaugh about the NFL’s open investigation into Justin Tucker’s 16 sexual assault allegations, and whether the Ravens might move on from Tucker with sixth-round rookie K Tyler Loop now in the fold. Harbaugh answered by saying the Ravens’ organization does not know “anything” about the investigation and has not been given any information by the league. Per Harbaugh, “every decision” the Ravens make must therefore “be based on football,” citing things like practice performance, draft capital and salary cap implications as critical factors. Loop promisingly converted 45-of-47 field goals attempted from 0-to-39 yards out in his college career.

Ravens senior special teams coach Randy Brown has traveled across the country in recent weeks scouting incoming kickers as Justin Tucker’s 2025 status remains in question. Sixteen massage therapists from Baltimore-area spas have accused Tucker of sexual misconduct. Tucker, 35, has denied the allegations as the league investigates. “Obviously, there are a lot of layers to that whole conversation, but it’s something we would have to do no matter what,” head coach John Harbaugh said. “At this point in time, you have to look. You always have to do your due diligence, so we will be prepared to do that on draft day if we feel like we need to and if the right guy is there.” The Ravens are the only team in the NFL to never take a kicker in the draft. That could change this year: The team is holding a private workout for Florida State’s Ryan Fitzgerald, who made all 13 of this field goal attempts last season and is widely expected to be the first kicker off the draft board.

It goes without saying that Justin Tucker’s tenure with the Ravens is likely trending toward an end as the Ravens and the league continue to investigate the sexual misconduct allegations that have followed the veteran kicker since the season’s end. Tucker converting on a career-low 73.3 percent of his field goal attempts last season likely isn’t helping his case, either. This is the strongest any member of the Ravens organization has sounded so far about moving on from Tucker, as the organizational message has more often been one of letting the league’s investigation play out. Saying “no matter what” sure paints a picture of some unsavory results in that investigation.

The Ravens are holding firm with the plans they outlined roughly one month ago. Tucker is being investigated for sexual misconduct allegations made by 16 women. The team has reportedly received “periodic updates” from the league, but the investigation is evidently still ongoing. Per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and general manager Eric DeCosta acknowledged that the team “is looking at kickers in the draft.”

Sixteen women have come forward with sexual misconduct allegations against Tucker, as reported by the Baltimore Banner. Tucker has denied the allegations. “I think we’re fortunate that the league is doing an investigation. We’ll wait as patiently as we can for as much information as we can and we’ll make our decisions based on that,” DeCosta said Tuesday at the NFL Combine, adding that the allegations are “serious, concerning. The amount of allegations are serious and concerning.” Head coach John Harbaugh said back in 2022 that the Ravens take a “zero tolerance” policy toward sexual misconduct. Coming off the worst season of his NFL career, Tucker might not be back with Baltimore in 2025.