The New York Giants agreed to terms with fullback Patrick Ricard during a very busy first two days of free agency.
After hiring John Harbaugh as their next head coach, the move to bring in a fullback was highly anticipated, and the Giants delivered by signing Ricard to a contract that makes him the highest-paid fullback in the NFL. The addition is intended to enhance the running game.
The backfield pairing of Ricard and Cam Skattebo—entering Skattebo’s second season—has already generated buzz around the Giants’ rushing attack.
In his first comments since joining Big Blue, Ricard described what the backfield featuring Skattebo and himself will look like:
“It’s going to look like a lot of yards and a lot of touchdowns. It’s going to be just physicality all over the place. It’s going to just be exactly what the people want to see,” he told reporters on Thursday.
With the Giants prioritizing the running game in free agency, the offense is set to look very different from last season. In fact, both Ricard and Skattebo have spoken about forming a backfield that opposing defenses will dread facing.
“It’s going to look like a group of individuals playing together who love football. You’re going to see the passion on the field. You’re going to see guys playing incredibly hard for one another,” Ricard added. “You’re going to see a defense that’s not going to want to come to MetLife Stadium to play us. You’re going to see, you know, just bodies flying all over the place. You’re going to see guys just selling out for their teammates.”
The addition of Ricard should improve the running game while also providing strong pass protection for quarterback Jaxson Dart.
The Giants were reportedly in the mix for top free-agent running backs this offseason. As surprising as it may seem, with the draft approaching, many mock drafts are linking the Giants’ No. 5 overall pick to running back prospect Jeremiyah Love.
Whatever the final running back room looks like by the time the season begins, Ricard’s impact will be evident both schematically and in the overall success of the running game led by Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy Jr.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants’ Patrick Ricard ready to bully defenses alongside Cam Skattebo
Reporting by Tyler Henry, Giants Wire / Giants Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
