The four-time Pro Bowl fullback is working at his third position in the NFL
After four straight seasons as a Pro Bowl fullback for the Baltimore Ravens, Patrick Ricard appears to be switching positions… again.
When Ricard originally landed on the Ravens’ 53-man roster in 2017, he did so as a defensive tackle that also earned snaps on the offense. Ricard was signed as a defensive tackle from the University of Maine, but as many undrafted players will say, any way to make a team is worth pursuing and Ricard did so for two seasons as a football iron man.
But Ricard doesn’t appear to be done finding ways to make a roster or add to his ability. On Monday, after being cleared from the Non-Football Injury list, he was seen practicing not with the running backs or in the pass-catching groups where fellow fullback Ben Mason was. Instead, he was with the offensive linemen warming up. Head Coach John Harbaugh addressed the change at the podium following practice.
“We just want to look at it right now and see what it looks like,” Harbaugh said. “If you feel good about it, then keep moving with it. It’s kind of late [in training camp], so he’d really, really have to look good for us to do that. With Pat, you never know. I wouldn’t count him out.”
It appears new Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken won’t be using a fullback at the same frequency as former offensive coordinator Greg Roman did. And Ricard, in a bit of an attempt to remain more involved offensively is adding to his repertoire.
It could also mean Ricard’s looking to establish an even greater blocking role as maybe a sixth offensive lineman/pure blocking tight end, too.
Either way, many speculated whether Monken would be as privy to using a fullback in Baltimore. With the four-time Pro Bowler opting to join the offensive line for drills, it feels readily apparent that is the case.