Ravens cut Pro Bowl kicker Billy Cundiff
In what has to be the most startling cut of the weekend, the Ravens have said goodbye to former Pro Bowl kicker Billy Cundiff, CBSSports.com's Mike Freeman confirms.
Simply put, according to various reports, undrafted free agent rookie Justin Tucker outperformed Cundiff in the preseason, and releasing Cundiff will save the team $1.81 million this season, according to Ravens Insider. The news originally was reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Though Cundiff made the Pro Bowl in 2010, Ravens fans likely won't forget Cundiff's missed 32-yard field goal that would have sent the 2011 AFC title game between Baltimore and the Patriots into overtime.
Afterward, we wondered if there was a mistake on the scoreboard, because the kick was rushed and some speculated at the time that Cundiff wasn't paying good enough attention to the clock situation. Many also wondered why coach John Harbaugh didn't call a timeout at that point.
Some of Cundiff's colleagues showed their support for him in the aftermath, and though that miss might not be the primary reason he's not the Ravens kicker anymore, that failure will be the last image the organization has of him.
"These decisions are never easy, and this one was difficult for all of us – Ozzie (Newsome), Jerry (Rosburg) and me," Harbaugh said in a statement. "Of course, that says something about Justin, the way he has kicked and our belief in him.
"Billy had a great camp, the best he has had with us. He showed, like he always has, a toughness and an ability to come back and be a top flight NFL kicker."
And what about Tucker?
Thing about Justin Tucker is his maturity was unusual for a rookie. He earned this job
— Aaron Wilson (@RavensInsider) August 26, 2012
For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, and subscribe to our Pick-6 Podcast and NFL newsletter. You can follow Josh Katzowitz on Twitter here: @joshkatzowitz.
