John Harbaugh didn’t exactly cut the Ravens cord when he landed with the New York Giants. If anything, he brought a chunk of Baltimore with him.
The Giants’ 53-man roster ended up with seven former Ravens on it: Patrick Ricard, Odell Beckham Jr., Isaiah Likely, Jermaine Eluemunor, C.J. Okoye, Ar'Darius Washington and Jordan Stout. Chandler Martin also made New York’s practice squad.
A few of those names made sense from the start. Likely, Ricard, Washington and Stout all moved from Baltimore to New York in free agency, while Eluemunor has already been with the Giants since 2024 after spending time with the Ravens from 2017 to 2018.
Beckham is the splashiest connection, and the most familiar one, but there’s a twist there too: he was out of the league last year, and Harbaugh is taking a chance on him after coaching him in 2023. Then there’s Okoye, who arrived late when the Giants traded for him on Saturday and sent Baltimore a 2028 seventh-round pick.
The bigger takeaway is hard to miss. Harbaugh has shown he’s willing to keep betting on players he knows, whether they’re proven pieces or long shots.
The Beckham move and the Okoye trade both fit that pattern, especially for players who may not have gotten another look elsewhere. That kind of loyalty was part of Harbaugh’s reputation during his Ravens years, so this isn’t coming out of nowhere.
It also gives the Giants a very Baltimore-flavored look. The Chargers have already picked up the “Ravens West” label because of general manager Joe Hortiz’s ties to Baltimore, and now Harbaugh has turned the Giants into something closer to Ravens North.
There’s no reason for Ravens fans to carry any resentment over Harbaugh’s departure after 18 generally successful seasons. If anything, plenty of them should have a reason to watch what happens in New York.
Likely looks like the former Raven most likely to see a major role. The Giants don’t have a clear No. 2 target next to Malik Nabers, and Likely has reportedly developed strong chemistry with Jaxson Dart during camp.
That sets him up for the breakout season Ravens fans have been waiting for. Beckham could have a similar kind of rebound, especially with Calvin Austin’s injury.
Ricard should keep doing what he does best as a fullback: block. Eluemunor remains the Giants’ starting right tackle.
Stout is still an elite punter. Washington could find some room to matter in a shaky secondary, and Okoye might even work his way into a role because the Giants need more help on the interior defensive line.
For Harbaugh, the willingness to give these players another shot is part of the story. For the Giants, it could be part of the solution. And for Ravens fans, it’s enough to make New York worth tracking this season.
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Those kinds of moves always invite a second guess, especially when a roster is built with so little separation from top to bottom. For the Ravens, the question now is not only which surprises were most painful in the short term, but how those choices shape the teams depth and flexibility as the season gets underway. [Read more 🡒]