Ravens Coaching Change May Signal Star Fullback's Departure

Fans of the Baltimore Ravens were greeted with dramatic change immediately upon being ushered into an early 2026 offseason, a natural reaction to a disastrous season that robbed the city of another shot at the Lombardi Trophy. They missed the playoffs altogether, and the team's longtime head coach in John Harbaugh got the axe mere days after their final elimination.

Once the Ravens' decision-makers have wrapped up their extensive search for Harbaugh's replacement, they'll give the keys to a new lead coach who'll likely overhaul the rest of the sideline staff. With new, re-worked values to come, the Ravens' lengthy list of pending free agency-testers should assume that the next iteration of the squad won't be anything like what they just had to endure.

Given the hard cap rules that each NFL team is constrained to, some hungry mouths will have to flee elsewhere to receive what they think they're worth. That list of soon-to-be free agents is headlined by pivotal, everyday trench pieces like star center Tyler Linderbaum and defensive ends in Kyle Van Noy and Dre'Mont Jones, pieces with whom the Ravens would suffer without, but one niche fan-favorite will need to ensure that he and the incoming head coach are aligned before he makes his move.

Patrick Ricard has only ever known the Ravens since entering the NFL, where his strong blocking and ability to break off the occasional downfield play has earned him perennial award consideration. He, along with a former Raven in Kyle Juszczyk, have revitalized the fullback position, earning the combination of versatile role players regular Pro Bowl nods and All-Pro shoutouts.

San Francisco 49ers Fullback Kyle Juszczyk — Dec 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (44) celebrates after the game against the Chicago Bears at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

But few team even use fullbacks, hence their irregularities within modern NFL offenses. Ricard was a staple during the back half of Harbaugh's run as head coach, a necessary blocker who only grew in value with the offensive line's enhanced need for additional help, but he may depart if he feels unwanted in Baltimore.

Following Others Out of Baltimore

Eamon Cassels of FanSided's Ebony Bird drew attention to the exodus that could take place between the Ravens and the New York Giants, where Harbaugh landed shortly upon receiving the boot out of Baltimore. At least there, where the coach is rumored to be bringing Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken over with him, Ricard would know that he's prioritized.

Losing the role-playing contributor would be a real hit to the Ravens, even if he isn't an every-down player. The offensive line already looked short on blockers last season, and they can't afford to lose one of the best and most mobile of the bunch.

Baltimore Ravens Fullback Patrick Ricard — Oct 26, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard (42) on the sidelines dung the game against the Chicago Bears at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

His fate will be determined during an offseason that's already expected to heavily feature number-crunching out of the team's salary experts, with inside evaluators already jammed up in re-signing the other stars using money that would come out of a restructured Lamar Jackson contract. And directly after one of the more disappointing of the franchise's history, they'll be as unafraid to cut bait with accessory pieces than ever before.

Ricard won't have to start revealing his hand until mid-March, when the league's free agency usually kicks off. Once the Ravens figure out how they plan on figuring out who'll lead the locker room for the foreseeable future, this fullback dilemma will need assessing.

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