Kicker No. 3: The Ravens Hand Veteran Riley Patterson the Job for Monday Night Against the Chargers

In Baltimore, the kicker's job used to be the safest spot on the roster. This season it has become a revolving door, and on Monday night the Ravens will hand it to a third different man.

Baltimore signed veteran Riley Patterson this week with the aim of having him ready for Monday Night Football against the Los Angeles Chargers, according to reports from NFL Network and ESPN's Mike Garafolo relayed by the team's website ^[1]. Special teams coordinator Anthony Levine Sr. said Patterson will be the kicker Monday after both finalists had strong workouts, the team reported ^[4].

How Baltimore Got Here

The domino that started it all was an injury to Tyler Loop. The Ravens placed Loop on injured reserve with a right groin injury, and he is not eligible to return until Week 14, The Baltimore Banner reported ^[2]. Loop had been drafted in 2025 as the likely successor to Justin Tucker, the franchise's longtime star, after Tucker's release that spring ^[6].

Next came Jake Moody. Baltimore brought him up from the practice squad, and he drilled a 53-yard field goal in his Ravens debut last week ^[1]. That kind of kick gets noticed. The Atlanta Falcons signed Moody off Baltimore's practice squad, leaving the Ravens to start the search all over again ^[1][2].

Who Is Riley Patterson?

Patterson is no stranger to pressure or to change. He has made 86.6 percent of his field goal attempts over five-plus NFL seasons, though long kicks from 50 yards and beyond have been a weak spot, according to The Banner ^[2]. He was most recently with Miami, which released him on Oct. 20 after problems with his kickoffs ^[1].

The team's own coverage described Patterson as grateful for the chance to be the next man up ^[4]. In a week when the offense is leaning on Jacoby Brissett at quarterback, Baltimore needs points from every trip into scoring range, and that puts a spotlight on a kicker who just walked in the door ^[4].

The Ravens are also adding a backup plan. NFL Network reported that former Missouri kicker Harrison Mevis is signing with Baltimore's practice squad ^[3], giving the club a second leg on hand in case the position keeps shifting.

An Old Name in a New Place

The kicking shuffle comes in the same week that Tucker, released by the Ravens in May 2025, signed with the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad, The Banner reported ^[5]. For Ravens fans who watched him make kick after kick for more than a decade, it is a strange sight. The team made its decision to move on long ago, and the job now belongs to whoever can make the kicks in front of them.

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The Take

Kickers rarely get the credit when things go right, and they always get the blame when things go wrong. Patterson steps into a prime-time game with only a handful of practices alongside his new long snapper and holder, and he will be judged on a few swings of his leg. That takes a calm head and a steady heart.

There is also something worth admiring in a player who keeps showing up. Patterson has been released, picked up and asked to prove himself again several times in his career, and when Baltimore called, he answered ready to go, with no complaints about the circumstances. That kind of perseverance is what keeps a career alive in the NFL's most unforgiving position.

Baltimore's coaches have made it clear they trust him for Monday night. If his first kick sails through, the Ravens can breathe a little easier, and Loop can heal without the team worrying about the most overlooked spot on the field. If it doesn't, the practice squad is already stocked. Either way, the Ravens are counting on the new guy to settle things down, one snap, one hold and one kick at a time.