The New Orleans Saints are reportedly bringing in veteran kicker Justin Tucker for a tryout, his first since a 10-game suspension for personal conduct violations.
Justin Tucker, a five-time first-team All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler, is reportedly going on a tryout with the Saints, marking his first opportunity since serving a 10-game suspension under the league’s personal-conduct policy.
Tucker was released by the Baltimore Ravens in May after allegations from 16 massage therapists of misconduct between 2012-16 surfaced; he denied the allegations and never faced criminal charges.
The #Saints are hosting a kicker tryout and former Pro Bowler Justin Tucker is among those invited, per me and @MikeGarafolo.
This is his first workout since being suspended 10 games by the NFL for violating the personal conduct policy. pic.twitter.com/MgxKskoFbg
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 24, 2025
In 2024, Tucker had the worst season of his 13-year career, hitting just 73.3% of his field-goal attempts, raising legitimate questions about his form even before off-field issues.
Why the Saints are making the call
The Saints’ decision to audition Justin Tucker stems from performance-related urgency. Their starter, Blake Grupe, has missed eight of 26 field-goal attempts this season, putting his conversion rate near 69.2 %, the lowest among kickers with at least 20 attempts.
Blake Grupe misses his second field goal of the half. @saints fans letting him hear it. pic.twitter.com/LILeQEhyKR
— TV’s Wil Herren (@TVs_Wil_Herren) November 23, 2025
In their recent 24-10 loss, Grupe missed from 38 and 47 yards. Coach Kellen Moore labelled his performance “frustrating” and indicated the team needs to “go through this full process” before deciding on next steps.
With the kicking position a clear liability, the Saints see a high-potential veteran option in Tucker, albeit one carrying both performance risk and reputational baggage.
Potential risks and implications
For Tucker, this is a pivotal moment. On the upside, he gets a path back into the NFL; on the downside, the stakes are elevated. To earn a position, he’ll need to demonstrate that his leg strength and accuracy remain reliable despite the downturn.
From the Saints’ perspective, signing Tucker would be a bet on upside overcoming risk. The reputational aspects can’t be ignored; the misconduct investigation looms large in public and media perception. Some teams may shy away purely for that reason.
Tough conversation with Saints kicker Blake Grupe as his 2025 struggles continued today. pic.twitter.com/8SpVGlozyM
— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) November 24, 2025
The outcome will also shape how teams evaluate veteran specialists who have come off controversy and performance decline. Will opportunity trump risk? Will this signal franchises’ willingness to move past off-field issues when a performance gap becomes acute?
In short, the Saints’ tryout of Tucker is more than a football decision; it’s intersectional between performance urgency, reputational calculus, and second-chance precedent in the NFL. The next few weeks will reveal how they proceed.
