Billy Cundiff Reportedly Released by Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens have reportedly released journeyman kicker Billy Cundiff in their latest round of cuts, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter:

"

Biggest cut of the weekend: Ravens released kicker Billy Cundiff, per league source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 26, 2012"

Cundiff has never been the most consistent kicker for the Ravens, but it was the last-second missed field goal that cost Baltimore a chance at overtime in the 2012 AFC Championship Game that really sealed the kicker’s fate.

With a career trajectory pointing to even more inconsistency in 2013 and the sting of the damage the missed field goal caused fresh in everyone’s mind, the kicker battle was a serious point of emphasis for the organization.

Despite the unbiased competition, Cundiff was never going to make this team.

As for the new starting kicker in Baltimore, the job falls to 22-year-old rookie Justin Tucker, who has already sealed his fate with a huge Week 3 in the preseason.

Baltimore just wanted to make sure Tucker had the same qualities on a field with NFL players that he had in college, and now that the team knows he does, Cundiff is history.

The Ravens want to advance to the Super Bowl in 2012, and worrying about their kicker is not in the plans. While it is always dangerous to depend on a rookie kicker, playing under Mack Brown at Texas is as close to the pressure-packed NFL crowd as a rookie could ever experience.

This is a big risk, but one most Baltimore fans felt necessary after last season’s AFC Championship debacle. Cundiff will find work somewhere, but not with a contender.

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