We don’t know at this point in time if New York Giants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy will want to include a fullback in his offense. It is a pretty safe bet, though, that head coach John Harbaugh would prefer to have one.
A quick check of the 53-man rosters over his 18 years as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens shows only two seasons — 2017 and 2018 — during which Baltimore did not carry a true fullback on its roster.
If the Giants want a fullback they could, theoretically, turn inward and convert 280-pound defensive tackle Elijah Chatman into a full-time player at that position. Chatman did dabble at fullback in 2025, playing three snaps on offense.
Or, the Giants could make about as big a splash as you can make in the modern NFL when you are signing a fullback by bringing 300-pound Patrick Ricard to New Jersey from the Ravens.
Ricard, entering his age 32 season, played both fullback and defensive tackle for Baltimore in his first three seasons. He has been a full-time fullback since 2020.
Ricard is a one-time First-Team All-Pro (2024), a two-time Second-Team All-Pro, and a six-time Pro Bowl selection.
Nikhil Mehta of SB Nation’s Ravens website, Baltimore Beatdown, does not believe Ricard will stay in Baltimore.
“I think Ricard probably leaves,” Mehta said. “There were rumors that he was disappointed with the smaller contract he had to take in 2025. Ben Johnson’s scheme [where offensive coordinator Declan Doyle came from] doesn’t feature a fullback, either, so it does not seem like he would have a place in the Ravens’ new offense.”
Signing someone like Ricard would be a good way for Harbaugh to send a message regarding the type of team he wants the Giants to be. With eight years as a player for Harbaugh under his belt, Ricard might also be one of those players who can help implement the culture Harbaugh wants in the locker room.
Ricard made $2.87 million for Baltimore last season, down from the $4.1 million he earned in 2024.
Would you like to see Ricard leading Giants’ running backs through holes next season? Let us know in the comments.
