This offseason, the Baltimore Ravens lost a few players who were impactful last year, but were all of them necessary?
Ravens’ new head coach, Jesse Minter, worked with general manager Eric DeCosta to make necessary changes to the roster. That meant letting some top veterans walk in free agency when they might have stayed in the past.
One was underrated but still impactful in so many ways. It could be the reason Baltimore started taking a dip in the power rankings.
Baltimore Ravens Drop in Power Rankings With One Key Departure Being Mentioned
GettyBALTIMORE, MARYLAND – DECEMBER 31: Fullback Patrick Ricard #42 of the Baltimore Ravens is introduced before the start of the Ravens and Miami Dolphins game at M&T Bank Stadium on December 31, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
The Athletic’s Josh Kendall shared his newest NFL power rankings, placing the Ravens at number 16. That is a drop from the 12 ranking they were at before. Kendall mentioned that the newest thing about Baltimore was that they no longer had their fullback, Patrick Ricard.
“Maybe fullback free-agent moves don’t light your fire, but Ricard leaving Baltimore feels almost as foundational as coach John Harbaugh’s exit. It’ll be weird seeing both of them with the Giants. Only five Ravens have played more snaps than Ricard since he joined the team out of the University of Maine in 2017. Only two fullbacks in the NFL (Kyle Juszczyk and C.J. Ham) have played more snaps in that span. Oh yeah, QB Lamar Jackson should be healthy, too.”
Ricard spent nine seasons with the Ravens and was a jack-of-all-trades for them. He racked up 323 receiving yards, 22 rushing yards, and scored 7 touchdowns on offense. On special teams and defense, he had 19 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 3 quarterback hits, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 1 pass deflection, and 1 touchdown in 116 games.
When all was said and done, Ricard made six Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro selection in 2024. He is now with the New York Giants with former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.
Ravens Lost an Underrated Piece to the Roster in Patrick Ricard
GettyBALTIMORE, MARYLAND – OCTOBER 11: Patrick Ricard #42 of the Baltimore Ravens warms up before a game against the Indianapolis Colts at M&T Bank Stadium on October 11, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
It doesn’t seem like an Earth-shattering move, but Ricard was an important piece to this team. He was able to do whatever was asked of him and more.
Ricard could play multiple positions on offense, defense, and special teams. Having that kind of versatility is a tough thing to replace, even if he’s just a fullback.
Baltimore has replaced Ricard with second-year fullback Lucas Scott. The Ravens may not use Scott as much as they did Ricard, but that is still an important position to play. This Ravens offense can be more old-school with its running game, so Scott should still see the field often.
During the offseason, the Ravens made enough moves, like signing Trey Hendrickson, to feel good about the 2026 season. Ricard might be gone, but Baltimore should still be a playoff-caliber team by the end of the year.
Ravens Quiet Departure Sent Them Down Latest Power Rankings