For the final 12 seasons, Justin Tucker has been the kicker for the Baltimore Ravens. The 34-year-old has seven Professional Bowls and 5 first-team All-Professional choices. When his profession is finished, Tucker will undoubtedly be often called one of many high kickers in league historical past. This offseason, the NFL has made a drastic change to a part of Tucker’s job.
Tucker will nonetheless be lineup kicking from the opposing 35-yard line however the different 10 gamers might be in a brand new location. They won’t be lined up on the receiving group’s 40-yard line. 5 yards away from the return group. With these adjustments, the kicker is the final line of protection and may very well be requested to make a couple of additional tackles. That’s why Justin Tucker has been within the weight room extra this offseason so as to add muscle.
Justin Tucker is getting ready his physique to be able to make extra tackles in 2024
“This may be shocking to you — and to my teammates— that i’ve been within the health club… watching movie, kickers are concerned in 20-25% of the tackles,” Justin Tucker mentioned about how he’s getting ready for the brand new kickoff.
Joked he’s added 3.8 kilos. pic.twitter.com/3pW5P4KYoX— Giana Han (@giana_jade) June 6, 2024
Prior to now, kickers haven’t been requested to make many tackles. It’s a uncommon incidence when it occurs. Justin Tucker’s final sort out was in December 2022. He has eight profession tackles in 195 video games. Tackling isn’t one thing you concentrate on with regards to kickers. Nevertheless, the league’s new guidelines might require kickers to make a sort out right here and there. Therefore the rationale Tucker has been within the weight room this offseason and has already added 3.8 kilos.
Justin Tucker informed reporters that he hasn’t practiced tackling drills since highschool. Nevertheless, he talked about that kickers may be concerned in some tackling drills this summer season. This new kickoff rule was utilized by the XFL. The Ravens’ teaching employees has watched each XFL kickoff to find out how they will gameplan. Tucker has been watching movie this offseason too. Not one thing kickers usually do. It’s an all-hands-on-deck strategy with the brand new kickoff guidelines.
Justin Tucker on new kickoff guidelines: “I’ve received to get some extra shrugs, get the traps going a little bit bit simply so I’m ready for extra contact.”
He joked he’s placed on 3.8 lbs this offseason pic.twitter.com/yTplI3P431— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) June 6, 2024
Sam Schwartzstein works for Prime Video analytics and he was the driving pressure behind the brand new kickoff change. He claims that kickers being requested to sort out extra could also be an overreaction. Schwartzstein doesn’t anticipate kickers to be requested to sort out as a lot as some are predicting. That’s in all probability excellent news for Justin Tucker and the remainder of the kickers within the league. The very last thing any group desires is to lose their beginning kicker as a result of he received injured attempting to make a sort out. We’ll see how this new kickoff change first performs out within the Corridor of Fame Sport on Thursday, August 1.
