Ravens Set Initial 2026 Practice Squad; Jake Moody Signing Puts Pressure on Tyler Loop
By Brian Hradsky | Maryland Sports Blog
The Baltimore Ravens have assembled the first version of their 2026 practice squad, retaining several young players who impressed during the preseason while making one particularly noteworthy addition.
Kicker Jake Moody is coming to Baltimore.
The Ravens announced Monday that Moody is among 15 players signed to their initial practice squad. Baltimore brought back most of the group from its offseason roster, with Moody being the notable outside addition.
For a Ravens team that has suddenly developed legitimate questions at kicker, Moody’s arrival could be much more important than the typical practice-squad transaction.
Ravens’ Initial Practice Squad
Baltimore announced the following 15 players Monday:
- DL Rayshaun Benny
- OL Nick Dawkins
- LB Dominic DeLuca
- WR Xavier Guillory
- OLB Adisa Isaac
- LB Carl Jones Jr.
- OL Gerad Lichtenhan
- K Jake Moody
- WR Chris Moore
- DL David Olajiga
- CB Amani Oruwariye
- TE Ty Pezza
- OLB Kaimon Rucker
- S K’Von Wallace
- RB Jonathan Ward
David Olajiga occupies Baltimore’s International Player Pathway spot. The Ravens therefore still have room to make additional practice-squad moves.
The Ravens were able to retain a significant amount of the depth they developed throughout training camp because only one of their waived players was claimed by another team. Center Corey Bullock was claimed by the Carolina Panthers. Baltimore, meanwhile, did not make a waiver claim.
Jake Moody Is the Headliner
There is no question which addition will receive the most attention.
Baltimore signed former San Francisco 49ers and Washington Commanders kicker Jake Moody to the practice squad, giving the organization another option behind second-year kicker Tyler Loop.
Moody, 26, entered the NFL as a third-round selection by San Francisco in the 2023 NFL Draft after an outstanding college career at Michigan.
He made 21 of 25 field-goal attempts and 60 of 61 extra points as an NFL rookie. His performance declined in 2024, when he connected on 70.6% of his field goals.
Moody’s career then took him through Chicago and Washington after San Francisco moved on.
He was much better during his opportunities with those teams. Moody made eight of nine field goals during a two-game stint with Chicago and later connected on 10 of 11 field goals in six games for Washington.
Overall, Moody has converted 64 of 82 career field-goal attempts, or 78%, while making 97.3% of his extra points.
There is also an interesting Baltimore connection.
Moody played at Michigan while current Ravens head coach Jesse Minter was on the Wolverines’ coaching staff, meaning Baltimore’s new head coach is already familiar with the kicker.
Tyler Loop Now Has Competition
This is where the practice-squad announcement becomes considerably more interesting.
Baltimore’s kicking situation has been one of the biggest questions coming out of the preseason.
Loop made only five of eight field-goal attempts during the preseason, missing from 49, 51 and 58 yards. His final two misses came in Baltimore’s 41-3 preseason victory over the Washington Commanders.
Those misses followed an otherwise encouraging rookie season.
Loop made 30 of 34 field goals and 44 of 46 extra points in 2025, an 88.2% field-goal conversion rate. But his rookie year ended in brutal fashion when his 44-yard attempt went wide right in Week 18, costing Baltimore a potential AFC North championship and playoff berth.
Now Baltimore has another kicker in the building.
Moody being on the practice squad does not necessarily mean Loop has lost his job.
It does mean the Ravens have an alternative.
And that is significant.
Moody Is Not a Sure Thing Either
Baltimore did not sign Justin Tucker in his prime.
Moody has had his own struggles.
His career 78% field-goal percentage is considerably below what Baltimore became accustomed to during the Tucker era, and inconsistency ultimately cost Moody his job with San Francisco.
Washington also released him Aug. 18 after rookie Drew Stevens won its kicking competition.
But Moody has kicked in pressure situations before and has enough NFL experience to give Baltimore a legitimate alternative should Loop continue to struggle.
For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, that insurance could become extremely important.
Adisa Isaac Stays in Baltimore
Another notable name returning is outside linebacker Adisa Isaac.
Baltimore selected Isaac in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but he did not make this year’s initial 53-man roster.
That could have ended his time with the organization.
Instead, Isaac cleared waivers and returned to Baltimore’s practice squad.
Isaac helped his cause late in the preseason, recording a sack against Washington in the finale. Fellow outside linebacker Kaimon Rucker also registered a sack in the game and returns to Baltimore on the practice squad.
Keeping both gives the Ravens developmental pass-rushing depth behind a position group led by Trey Hendrickson and Mike Green.
Rayshaun Benny Returns
Seventh-round rookie defensive lineman Rayshaun Benny also cleared waivers and returned.
Benny faced a difficult path to the 53-man roster because of Baltimore’s depth along the defensive line.
The Ravens kept Nnamdi Madubuike, Travis Jones, Calais Campbell, Broderick Washington Jr., John Jenkins and Aeneas Peebles on the initial roster.
Keeping Benny in the organization allows Baltimore to continue developing the rookie without using a spot on the 53.
That could prove valuable later in the season when injuries inevitably test the roster’s depth.
Ravens Retain Offensive Line Depth
Baltimore also brought back Nick Dawkins and Gerad Lichtenhan.
Dawkins’ return became particularly important after Carolina claimed Bullock.
Lichtenhan remains an intriguing developmental tackle at 6-foot-8 and 330 pounds. He spent last season on Baltimore’s practice squad and made a legitimate push for a backup tackle job this summer.
The Ravens have spent considerable resources developing offensive-line depth, and both players can continue working within the system while being available for elevation if injuries occur.
Chris Moore’s Ravens Career Continues
One of the more familiar names is Chris Moore.
Baltimore originally drafted Moore in the fourth round in 2016. He spent five seasons with the Ravens and became a valuable special-teams contributor before playing elsewhere.
Moore eventually returned to Baltimore this summer.
He made a strong final impression against Washington, leading the Ravens with 54 receiving yards while making a diving touchdown reception.
It was not enough to crack an extremely competitive wide receiver room, but it was enough for Baltimore to keep him around.
With his special-teams experience and knowledge of the organization, Moore is exactly the type of veteran who can provide useful emergency depth.
Xavier Guillory Earns Another Opportunity
Wide receiver Xavier Guillory will also remain in Baltimore.
Guillory made several notable catches during training camp and finished the preseason with three receptions for 39 yards.
Baltimore’s receiver competition was difficult this summer, particularly with younger players such as Ja’Kobi Lane emerging.
Keeping Guillory allows Baltimore to maintain additional depth without squeezing another receiver onto the active roster.
Jonathan Ward Provides Running Back Insurance
Veteran running back Jonathan Ward is also back.
Ward rushed for 88 yards and a touchdown on 17 preseason carries, giving Baltimore another experienced option behind Derrick Henry, Justice Hill and Rasheen Ali.
The Ravens are going to rely heavily on Henry again, but running back is a position where depth can disappear quickly.
Ward gives Baltimore an experienced player who can be elevated if necessary.
K’Von Wallace Gives Ravens Veteran Safety Depth
Veteran safety K’Von Wallace also cleared the roster process and returned.
Wallace was originally a fourth-round selection by Philadelphia in 2020 and has accumulated 177 career tackles.
Baltimore kept Kyle Hamilton, Malaki Starks, Jaylinn Hawkins and Keondre Jackson on the 53-man roster at safety.
Wallace now provides veteran insurance behind that group.
Amani Oruwariye Returns at Cornerback
Cornerback Amani Oruwariye is another experienced defensive back Baltimore was able to retain.
Oruwariye spent much of last season on Baltimore’s practice squad after previously playing for Detroit and other organizations.
The Ravens have significant talent in the secondary, but NFL teams can never have enough cornerbacks.
Oruwariye gives Baltimore another player who already understands the defensive environment and can be elevated if needed.
Ravens Preserve Much of Their Summer Depth
That may be the biggest overall victory from Monday’s moves.
Baltimore built one of the deeper training-camp rosters in the NFL.
The Ravens even turned some of that depth into future draft capital before cuts, trading defensive lineman C.J. Okoye to the New York Giants for a 2028 seventh-round pick and offensive tackle Diego Pounds to Kansas City for a conditional 2028 sixth-round pick.
Then Baltimore successfully brought many of its developmental players back through the practice squad.
That is quality roster management.
MSB Take: Watch the Kickers
There are plenty of interesting names on this practice squad, but everybody in Baltimore is going to be watching one position.
Kicker.
The Jake Moody signing is not random.
Baltimore watched Loop miss three field goals during the preseason after his rookie season ended with one of the most painful misses in recent Ravens history.
Loop deserves credit for what he did during most of his rookie year. Making 30 of 34 field goals is good NFL kicking.
But the Ravens have championship expectations.
They cannot afford to lose close games because of inconsistent kicking.
Moody gives Baltimore an immediate alternative without forcing the organization to remove Loop from the roster.
Now the Ravens can watch both.
If Loop responds and starts drilling kicks consistently, Baltimore is better because of the competition.
If he struggles, Moody is already in the building.
For years, kicker was the last position Ravens fans ever had to worry about.
That is no longer the case.
Baltimore’s initial 2026 practice squad contains plenty of promising developmental players, but Jake Moody could ultimately become the most important name on it.
