The Ravens announced that fullback Pat Ricard is back on a three-year deal.
PROJECT PAT‼️
We have agreed to a three-year deal with fullback @PRic508 ‼️ pic.twitter.com/xho7LWaOhe
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) March 21, 2022
I don't have exact terms on Patrick Ricard's new three-year deal. However, I'm hearing that the APY will be in the $4 million a year range with incentives. Would keep him as league's second-highest paid FB behind former Raven Kyle Juszczyk ($5.4 million APY).
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) March 21, 2022
RSR staff react to the news here…
Derek Arnold
We’ll see if I’m the only squeaky wheel of the RSR crew here, but…I don’t love it. It’s not that I don’t like Ricard, the player – I absolutely do! And I’ll be jumping off my couch when he pancakes someone in Week 1. I just have to question this allocation of resources. It was time to find another “project,” wasn’t it? If not Ben Mason (already back, by the way!), then someone else. Not many NFL teams are using fullbacks, so the price (via draft capital and/or salary cap money) shouldn’t be high. Supply (plenty of college teams still use them) and demand.
I also feel like we’ve forgotten, during the mad free agency rush, the unfortunate fact that Greg Roman is still here. This is a loud reminder of that fact.
Just…meh. To me, anyway. Now get off my lawn.
Rob Shields
As much optimism as there has been for the moves the Ravens have made this year, it is tempered (for me) knowing we still have Greg Roman and an offense that isn’t going to win in January.
Signing Ricard is a reminder of that. They aren’t changing, they aren’t opening it up, they aren’t trying to be explosive in the passing game and that is what you need to do to win in the playoffs in today’s game.
This is no indictment on Ricard. He’s a good player. He does his job well, but do we really need to devote cap space to him? Is it really that necessary when you have Nick Boyle on the roster and you brought Mason back, after already stupidly wasting a 5th rounder on him last year only to see him go to New England?
Poor use of resources and another reminder that the Ravens are still living in the past.
Ronald Toothe
Project Pat is back in Baltimore, and a major portion of the Ravens rushing attack is locked in for the next three years as a result. Ricard has been the unsung hero of this record-breaking backfield for the last few years, and has also done some really fun things in the passing game as well. With JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards both returning from ACL injuries, having #42 in front of them to open up holes will make that “getting back up to speed” process immensely less difficult. It’s also a good bet that we’ll see even more creative ways of getting him on the field in 2022 as a way to truly maximize his output.
Wildpat formation anyone?
Darin McCann
I like Pat Ricard, and believe he is a very special blocking fullback. But I’m not sure I would have spent limited resources on a player who offers little to nothing with the ball in his hands, especially after appearing to invest in the future with Ben Mason.
Again, I like Ricard. I’ll stand and cheer when he flattens (insert your fallen AFC North defender here), but I’m not jumping for joy right now.
Kevin McNelis
I think some of my opinion on this re-signing is going to depend on the price tag, which has yet to be revealed at the time that I’m writing this. Pat Ricard is one of the most versatile players you’ll find in today’s game, but he comes with the caveat of being at the mercy of a Greg Roman offense.
If the Ravens can get back to having a dominant run-first offense with a healthy Dobbins and Edwards, great. Ricard is a huge part of that as a lead blocker. By the same token, leaning on Ricard by bringing him back in on a three-year deal doesn’t give me good vibes about this offense evolving.
It boils down to the same critique that I’ve had under Roman’s offense for years: if you have a Ferrari sitting in the garage, you need to do more than drive it on side streets if you want to get the most out of your investment.
Chad Racine
The numbers aren’t in on this deal yet and I’m sure it’s a reasonable contract. The fact that we are a week into free agency is a good sign that no team stepped up immediately to offer a number Pat couldn’t refuse. It being a year-year deal should keep the cap hit a little lower this year.
I don’t expect any more big moves. I see a lot of fans clamoring for JC Tretter, but I don’t see any more offensive line moves until the draft. When the Ravens extended Pat Mekari I believe that was a strong indication he would become the starting center. Personally I think keeping Ricard was much more important than Bozeman.
Nikhil Mehta
I am on the record, several times, as being a huge fan of Pat Ricard and what he brings to this offense. So, I’m happy he’s still in Baltimore, but I am left wondering about the what-ifs involved with getting this deal done, especially when it comes to Ricard’s 2022 cap hit. His reported AAV is about $4 million, which I’m comfortable with, but the 2022 cap hit is the more important thing here. Can we still land an impact defender (Bobby Wagner) or a starting center (J.C. Tretter, if Mekari isn’t the plan) after this signing? I hope so, but if not, this one may sting down the stretch this season.
Then again, the Russell Street Replay podcast is the official home of the WildPat, so more Patrick Ricard is never a bad thing!
Ben Dackiw
The giver of pancakes has returned.
I love it. Like it or not, it’s a Greg Roman offense and the Ravens will be running it. A lot. I would rather have Pat blocking for Dobbins and Gus than not have him at all.
Pat’s versatility also remains a huge plus as he can line up at TE.
