The Ravens announced a two-year extension for fullback and defensive lineman Patrick Ricard, keeping their most versatile contributor under contract through the 2021 season.
A 2017 rookie free agent from Maine, Ricard was scheduled to become a restricted free agent next March, but he has emerged as one of the NFL’s best fullbacks this season, serving as a devastating blocker for the league’s top rushing attack and catching eight passes for 47 yards and a touchdown. The 6-foot-3, 303-pound Ricard came to the Ravens as a defensive lineman, but he’s gained a more notable role as an offensive player.
“Is there a better fullback in the league? I don’t know. I’ll let somebody else decide that,” offensive coordinator Greg Roman said last month. “But he’s playing his position at a high level, and if he can help us win the game, we’ll do whatever and how much of it we need to do.”
Ricard has played 249 snaps on offense and 135 on defense this season, becoming the first NFL player to play at least 100 snaps on each side of the ball in a decade. He currently leads all AFC fullbacks in voting for this year’s Pro Bowl. The 25-year-old has also collected one sack, nine tackles, one forced fumble, and a pass breakup on defense.
Baltimore also announced veteran safety and special-teams contributor Brynden Trawick has been activated from injured reserve. Trawick was designated to return to practice last month and spent the last eight games on IR with an elbow injury.
On Monday, the Ravens waived reserve safety Bennett Jackson to clear room on the 53-man roster. Jackson was claimed off waivers by the New York Jets, who placed linebacker C.J. Mosley on injured reserve with a groin injury. The former Raven appeared in only two games in the first season of a lucrative five-year, $85 million contract, a development that could cause Baltimore’s projected third-round compensatory pick to drop to a fourth-rounder in next year’s draft.
