The New Orleans Saints' 2025 NFL season has reached a critical breaking point. With a dismal 2-9 record, the team's campaign is unravelling, and a crisis of confidence, especially within the special teams unit, is now impossible to ignore. The front office's patience has officially run out, forcing a major change.
A Season Derailed by Missed Kicks
The Saints' struggles are not just about a faltering offense. The problem has been glaringly obvious in the kicking game. Blake Grupe's 69.2% field-goal success rate is the absolute worst in the entire league among kickers with a minimum of 20 attempts this year. These aren't just statistics on a sheet; they have directly translated into lost games and shattered offensive momentum.
The frustration reached a new peak during Sunday's loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Grupe's two failed attempts, from 38 and 47 yards, were more than just missed opportunities. They symbolized a fundamental shift in the team's fortunes and confirmed that the kicking woes could no longer be dismissed as a temporary slump. The Saints are desperate for a solution.
The Justin Tucker Gamble
Enter Justin Tucker, one of the most accurate kickers in the long history of the NFL. This tryout is far from a simple testing session; it represents the potential resurrection of a legacy that once seemed untouchable. However, Tucker's path to New Orleans is clouded in controversy.
His stellar career with the Baltimore Ravens stalled abruptly following a 10-game suspension by the NFL. The suspension came after allegations from 16 massage therapists, which Tucker has vehemently denied, calling them "unequivocally false." His agent, Rob Roche, stated during the resolution process, "Justin has always strived to carry himself in a way that would make his family and community proud… we have advised Justin to accept this resolution and close this matter."
Weighing Risk Against Reward
For the Saints, the decision is a classic high-risk, high-reward scenario. On one hand, they have a current kicker whose performance is actively costing them games. On the other, they are considering a 36-year-old veteran who carries the baggage of a major suspension but also possesses Hall-of-Fame-level credentials.
For Justin Tucker, this is more than just a job interview. It is his first genuine opportunity to reclaim a sense of normalcy, restore his damaged reputation, and possibly achieve professional redemption. If he can demonstrate even a fraction of his former legendary precision during the workouts, the Saints might make one of the most talked-about mid-season moves of the year.
The New Orleans Saints are at a crossroads. Their decision on Justin Tucker will define not only the remainder of their season but also signal how far a team is willing to go to fix a critical weakness. The entire NFL is watching to see if a polarizing figure can become its most unlikely comeback story.
