The Giants are not adding Patrick Ricard just to dress up the roster with a bigger body. They are bringing in a six-time Pro Bowler because they want an offense that can line up, tell you what it is about to do, and still move the chains anyway.
That is the real shift here. New York has spent years leaning toward speed, space and answers in the passing game.
Those pieces still matter. But Ricard gives the Giants something different: a chance to make defense feel the run game before it ever gets to settle in and hunt the pass.
Ricard’s impact will not come from touches. It will come from the kinds of calls he makes possible.
A heavy set with a true fullback changes how a defense sees two-tight-end looks. It gives play-action more bite.
It makes short-yardage packages look like actual football, not a desperate workaround.
That matters for Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy, too. A running back still has to find the crease and finish the play, but a fullback who takes away the first clean tackler can turn a routine gain into an extra yard or two. That is the kind of small edge Ricard has built a career on, even if it rarely shows up in a box score.
There is also a clear connection to John Harbaugh’s style. He has long been comfortable building a physical run game, and Ricard spent years as part of that Ravens formula.
The question now is not whether the Giants will list him as a fullback. It is how often they will actually lean into that role.
And they should not bury it. Some teams stash that kind of package for late in the season.
The Giants ought to use it early and make opponents account for Ricard on first-and-10, not just in obvious third-and-one situations. That creates a different kind of pressure and opens cleaner looks for the rest of the offense.
None of this means the Giants can ignore the rest of the unit. Jaxson Dart still has to play well, and the receivers still have to produce.
Ricard is not a cure-all. But he can give this offense a backbone, and that is something it has been missing when the game gets ugly.
In Other News...
Odell Beckham Jr. Just Got His First Real Chance To Matter
Odell Beckham Jr. finally got a longer look with the offense during camp, and it came at a time when the receiver room could use a little stability. With several pass-catchers limited or working off to the side, Beckham spent more time on the field and saw more targets than he had earlier in camp, giving the veteran a better chance to show he still fits into the picture.
He caught passes from Jaxson Dart and looked sharp getting into routes, even if a few throws did not connect. For a Giants offense still sorting through its depth and availability at receiver, the bigger question is whether this was just a useful practice rep or the start of something more meaningful as camp moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Enter A Crucial Camp Stretch With Two Early Problems
The Giants are into their sixth practice of training camp, and this is the week John Harbaugh has pointed to as the most important stretch for getting real work done in pads. Veteran defensive tackle D.J. Reader framed it the practical way, noting the body has to be prepared for the season, which is why this portion of camp carries extra weight for a roster still trying to sharpen its habits.
Two issues have already surfaced as the team settles into the grind: too many penalties and an offense that needs to be cleaner. Those concerns make the next few days especially important, with the public practice window set for Aug. 5 through Aug. 8, giving the Giants another chance to show progress while the work is still being sorted out. [Read more 🡒]
Jaxson Dart Puts Giants Right Back In Quarterback Debate
The Athletics annual quarterback tiers always offer a useful snapshot of how NFL decision-makers really view the leagues passers, and Jaxson Darts first appearance on the list gives the Giants a fresh point of conversation. The rookie landed 24th overall among 35 veteran quarterbacks, which is notable enough on its own for a first-year player and puts him in the third tier with other newcomers as the league starts to sort out what he might become.
For a team that has been searching for stability under center, the feedback around Dart is the part worth watching. Defensive coaches seem to buy the athleticism and playmaking, while offensive coaches and executives sound more guarded, pointing to consistency and durability as the questions that still hang over him. In other words, the early league-wide read on Dart is encouraging enough to keep the Giants intrigued, but not settled enough to end the quarterback debate anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]