Kicker competition is on at Ravens camp…

I deliberately have not brought up Billy Cundiff’s name since OTA’s began. The “kick that shall not be mentioned” is already long past. The guy deserves a fresh start. Fans need to forget that missed kick because it’s a pro placekicker’s job to forget it, too…

But now it’s in the foreground again, only because the Ravens just signed young Justin Tucker to compete with Cundiff this summer.

Justin Tucker, 6-1, 185, undrafted free agent signed after a nice college career with the Texas Longhorns… handled the kickoff duties in 52 games and placekicking duties in 25 contests … graduated in December 2011 with a degree in music … 2011 second-team All-Big 12 (AP, San Antonio Express-News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) and honorable mention (Coaches) … was named to the Lou Groza Award watch list in 2011 … kicked off 328 times for an average of 63.3 ypk and 64 touchbacks … is 40-of-48 (.833) on field goal attempts and 71-for-71 on PAT attempts for 190 career points … his .833 FG percentage is tied for third best on the UT career list … also a rugby-style punter who has punted 155 times for 6,283 yards (40.5 ypk), including 22 over 50 yards, while landing 56 inside the 20 … posted 24 career special-teams tackles …

Tucker impressed during a rookie camp tryout about two weeks ago. But that was just a tryout. Now Tucker is officially a member of the Ravens’ roster after signing Tuesday morning. The Texas rookie free agent kicker will now have a chance to compete with incumbent veteran Billy Cundiff.

Tucker, who made 40 of 48 career field goals in college, ended the first day of rookie camp practice on May 11 with a 55-yard field goal. Two days later in front of the media, Tucker made all four of his attempts from within 50 yards, then nearly hit on a pair of 60 yarders. He was wide right on one and just short on the other, and said he had a breeze in his face. “He gets really good lift on the ball, very accurate,” Head Coach John Harbaugh said after the camp. “He had a very good camp.”

Cundiff, who last week said he is focused on moving forward from his AFC championship miss, had competition in 2010 from veteran Shayne Graham. He beat him out and had a Pro Bowl season.

Tucker said he’s looking forward to the battle. “I look forward to it, coming in and competing against a guy that’s had success in the league,” Tucker said. “It’ll be a challenge, but it will be fun.”

Let’s take a look at Tucker’s distance/accuracy breakdown from his career at Texas

Watching the kicker contest this summer should add some drama to the preseason games. I’m not rooting against Billy Cundiff, either. That miss against the Patriots was a botched setup from the get-go…Besides, even if he makes the rushed chip shot, there’s no guarantee the Ravens would have won that game in OT anyway. Cundiff did not lose that game. But history will see it that way.