Arizona Professional Athletes

The Ravens drafted Tyler Loop in the sixth round last year to replace former All-Pro Justin Tucker — who fell off the radar following a Personal Conduct Policy suspension — and handed the Arizona product a clear path to a starting job. Loop is now in danger of fumbling that opportunity away.

In Baltimore's preseason finale against the Commanders, Loop was the lone blemish on an otherwise dominant Ravens performance. While the team controlled the game from wire to wire, Loop's struggles at kicker left a conspicuous mark on the box score and, more importantly, on the coaching staff's depth-chart calculus heading into final roster cuts.

The timing couldn't be worse. Preseason finales are famously the last audition for bubble players, and kickers — a position with among the thinnest roster margins in the NFL — get almost no grace period. Loop arrived in Baltimore with legitimate pedigree: the Ravens believed enough in him to spend draft capital on his development, a meaningful signal given how cautiously franchises typically approach the position. But a shaky finish to the exhibition slate has erased some of that goodwill.

Per reporting from Yahoo Sports, Loop is "suddenly on shaky ground" in Baltimore — a phrase that would have seemed unthinkable a year ago when the Ravens were building the post-Tucker era around him. The question now is whether the front office views the preseason performance as a correctable blip or a warning sign about his readiness to handle the pressure of a full NFL season.

Baltimore has a recent institutional wound around kicker reliability. Tucker's dominance masked just how fragile the position can be, and the Ravens will be especially sensitive to any indication that Loop can't absorb that pressure. One bad preseason game doesn't end a career, but it can absolutely end a training camp.

No other Arizona alumni generated significant news across the NFL during the period. Loop's situation stands as the marquee storyline for Wildcat fans tracking the league — and it's one worth watching closely as roster cutdown deadlines arrive.

For Arizona supporters who remember Loop's college days in Tucson, the next 72 hours will be a nervous wait. The Ravens haven't tipped their hand publicly, but the reporting is clear: this kicking competition isn't over, and Loop's grip on the job is looser than it's been at any point since he was drafted.

The Return Specialist Tucson Forgot — San Francisco Didn't

Jacob Cowing arrived at 49ers training camp without a guaranteed roster spot. He's leaving the preseason stretch as one of the team's most talked-about players — and potentially on the verge of doing something no San Francisco returner has done in 15 years.

The former Arizona wide receiver has locked down the punt return role in Santa Clara, and head coach Kyle Shanahan said publicly that Cowing's work has made the return decision "easier." That's coach-speak for: the job is his. What Shanahan didn't have to say out loud is the weight of the opportunity — the 49ers haven't had a punt returned for a touchdown since 2011, back when Jim Harbaugh was roaming the sidelines. Cowing is now the most realistic candidate in over a decade to end that drought.

It's a remarkable trajectory for a player who had to earn everything. Cowing was a standout at Arizona — electric in open space, quick to the second level — but the NFL transition for smaller, slot-type receivers is rarely smooth. He's made it work by finding value in the return game, where his instincts and burst translate directly. The preseason has been his audition, and by all accounts, he's passed.

The Athletic's preseason takeaways piece specifically flagged Cowing as someone "stating his case," grouping him alongside rookies making an early impression in starting roles — notable company for a player still fighting for a final roster spot. Between the camp praise from Shanahan and the standout preseason tape, Cowing has shifted the conversation from "will he make the team?" to "how much will he contribute?"

The Rest of the Wildcat Alumni Ledger

Cowing isn't the only Arizona product generating news this week.

In Green Bay, the Packers have made a decisive move at kicker — cutting veterans Lucas Havrisik and Brandon McManus to hand the job entirely to sixth-round rookie Trey Smack. Coach Matt LaFleur said he "feels great" about Smack, which is a vote of confidence but also a tough end to Havrisik's time in Green Bay. The former Wildcat now hits the open market with preseason still ongoing.

In Miami, offensive tackle Jonah Savaiinaea drew a mention in the Dolphins' weekly roster notes, though the update was injury-related — a reminder that the former Arizona lineman is still working to establish himself on the depth chart in South Beach.

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The throughline for Arizona's NFL contingent this week is opportunity in flux. Cowing is seizing his. Havrisik is searching for another one. And Savaiinaea is trying to stay healthy enough to find his footing. That's the preseason reality for fringe and mid-roster players — and the Wildcats have no shortage of alumni living it right now.

The one to watch: if Cowing takes one to the house in the regular season, he won't just be making the 49ers' highlight reel. He'll be closing a chapter that's been open since the Harbaugh era.

Arizona in the NFL | Aug. 2–8, 2026

One Arizona alum is making noise at the start of the NFL's training camp season — and it's happening in the trenches at Green Bay.

Jordan Morgan Is Locking Down the Left Side

Packers offensive lineman Jordan Morgan turned heads at Green Bay's training camp this week, earning significant praise for his work in one-on-ones and positioning himself as the front-runner for the starting left tackle job heading into 2026.

That's no small thing. Left tackle is the most important position on an offensive line — the blind-side protector for a right-handed quarterback, and one of the last jobs a coaching staff hands over lightly. The fact that Morgan is generating this kind of buzz before the preseason even tips off suggests Green Bay's brass sees something worth investing in.

Morgan, a former Wildcat who developed into a legitimate NFL prospect during his time in Tucson, has been building toward this moment. The Packers have shown patience with his development, and if this week's camp performance is any indication, that patience may be paying off at exactly the right time. Green Bay's offensive line has been an area of scrutiny in recent seasons, and a reliable, ascending talent at left tackle would be a significant stabilizing force for whatever the offense is trying to build around quarterback play in 2026.

The one-on-one drill is where offensive linemen either earn trust or lose it in a hurry. Pass rushers get a clean look, the blocker has no help, and there's nowhere to hide. Morgan reportedly held his own — and then some.

The Bigger Arizona Picture

Morgan isn't the only Wildcat suiting up across the league this summer. Arizona has 21 active alumni spread across 16 NFL franchises — a testament to the program's pipeline into professional football.

A few names worth tracking as camp rolls on: Tetairoa McMillan (Panthers, WR) is one of the higher-profile skill-position alums to watch after flashing during his college career; Jonah Savaiinaea (Dolphins, OT) gives Arizona another presence in the trenches at the pro level; and Tanner McLachlan (49ers, TE) is competing for a role in San Francisco's tight end room.

On defense, Christian Young (Seahawks, LB), Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (Bills, LB), and Quali Conley (Bengals, LB) represent a solid linebackers' club flying the UA flag this season.

For now, though, Jordan Morgan is the story — a Wildcat who may be on the verge of locking down one of the most coveted starting spots on a playoff-caliber roster. Packers fans will be watching his progress closely as the preseason unfolds. Arizona fans should be too.