Giants Fullback Patrick Ricard: The Good, The Great, and The Ugly

When the New York Giants signed tight end Isaiah Likely and defensive back Ar’Darius Washington to their roster in free agency, it signaled that new head coach John Harbaugh wanted familiar faces who understood the culture he sought to bring to the Giants, as well as talented football players.

But when he brought Patrick Ricard, his longtime fullback, over from the Ravens, it signaled that he was serious about a shift in the mentality of the team he wanted to put on the field in New York.

Ricard’s arrival signals that there's going to be a level of destruction built into the run game where pure force of will is going to be favored over finesse.

Let's look at the good, the great, and the ugly of the Giants' newest battering ram.

The Good: Play action receiving

The Good of new #NYGiants fullback Patrick Ricard is his play action pass receiving. pic.twitter.com/QlzSM2Kt1B
— Coach Gene Clemons (@geneclemons) March 21, 2026

Ricard has been a reliable receiver in play-action because of his run-blocking. Whenever you see Ricard running after you, you have to prepare for him to bring that 290-pound frame into you.

That means most defenders are bracing for impact, and every once in a while, he just slips right by them while they're waiting for the car crash.

Other times, defenders just do not respect his receiving ability and run right by him in an effort to get to the quarterback. That's when he catches little dump-offs and walks into the end zone for easy touchdowns.

If he weren't such a violent run blocker, he wouldn't be as effective as a pass receiver in play-action situations.

This is where he'll be able to take advantage of his abilities as a receiver with the Giants, because teams will have to pay attention to Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy when they get the ball.

The Great: Lead blocking

The Great of new #NYGiants fullback Patrick Ricard is his blocking ability. Duh! pic.twitter.com/Pca7e5z52U
— Coach Gene Clemons (@geneclemons) March 21, 2026

There is no doubt that Ricard’s best attribute is his ability to block. He is effective in pass protection, and he knows how to block on the backside, but when he is in front of a running back, that is where he truly shines.

Low man normally wins in the battle of leverage, and Ricard's low center of gravity, mixed with his size and surprising athleticism, gives him a bowling ball-like effect as he rolls towards defenders as a lead blocker.

He can collide with and immediately stop their momentum, as if they hit a wall, allowing the running back to make a decisive cut off his block.

It doesn't matter what the point of attack is or the angle of the block; Ricard does a great job of getting his body on the defender and covering them up.

He is great going downhill on man scheme blocking, like ISO and lead, where he can go through the hole and meet a linebacker.

He is also good in gap schemes as a kickout blocker or a de facto guard pulling and wrapping into the hole. He is surprisingly good on the perimeter in toss plays or jet sweeps, where he's leading out on the first defender to show.

He is able to hit a defender at an angle that gives the back a chance to explode up the field before the cavalry can come from defense. He adds significant value to the Giants in their pursuit of being an even more physical rushing attack.

The Ugly: Rushing ability

Clearly, running the ball is not Ricard's forte. It is not even what he's been asked to do, but when he does get the ball—which is so rare that it's hard to find video of it without digging through every single game where he may have received one carry—you can tell he's not a natural runner.

He usually gets the ball, leans forward, and falls forward for a yard, but he is rarely dynamic as a runner.

Even when he catches the ball and turns into a receiver, his run after the catch is pretty limited.

This limitation is expected from a guy who was a defensive lineman at the University of Maine and converted to a fullback full-time over the course of his career with the Ravens.

Coach's Corner

The move to bring in Ricard is a genius one, though many might see it as a minor one. What Ricard represents is a mindset, a level of physicality that you want people to know that you are bringing to the table when they play you.

The advantage of having a third guard on the field is essentially something the Giants have been trying to take advantage of for years with their sixth offensive lineman.

Now with Ricard, you don't have to bring that sixth offensive lineman on. He exists in the form of your fullback, who could also line up as a tight end.

Hopefully he brings that mentality and allows it to permeate throughout the locker room naturally. You don't want to force it on players, but you want them to feel it radiate off you.

I think Ricard has an opportunity to do that.

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