Cam Skattebo will love latest Giants' NFL free agency news
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New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo.
The New York Giants finally agreed to terms on an expected addition, and the news came on the evening of March 10, amid NFL free agency’s legal tampering period.
“The Giants have agreed to terms with six-time Pro Bowl FB Patrick Ricard, sources say,” NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo reported on X. “Another one of John Harbaugh’s players from his time with the [Baltimore] Ravens joins him in East Rutherford.”
Mike Garafolo
The #Giants have agreed to terms with six-time Pro Bowl FB Patrick Ricard, sources say.
Another one of John Harbaugh’s players from his time with the #Ravens joins him in East Rutherford.
Ricard is one of Harbaugh’s favorite players, and he’s been a staple of the Ravens’ offense for years. Needless to say, adding the 6-foot-3, 300-pound bruiser to the mix is tremendous news for any running back, but Ricard feels like an especially good pairing with a physical ball-carrier like Cam Skattebo.
Popular Giants podcaster Bobby Skinner pointed out the perfect fit just after the move was announced, writing: “Thinking about a linebacker looking at an I-formation of Patrick Ricard & Cam Skattebo.”
Not long after, Skinner began diving into Ricard’s film, highlighting the impact that he had on Derrick Henry as a blocker.
Bobby Skinner
Patrick Ricard bumps the DE down a gap and then picks up the DB for a big Derrick Henry run
The Giants analyst and podcaster jokingly concluded: “I could watch Patrick Ricard film for the rest of my life.”
Per Garafolo, Ricard is signing a “two-year deal with the Giants [that] is worth a max of over $8.5 million, with a base value of $7.63 million, making him the highest-paid fullback in the NFL on a per-year basis.”
Giants’ NFL Free Agency Period Has Gone Well for Cam Skattebo So Far
Heading into NFL free agency, a strangely overwhelming Giants rumor emerged. And it was that the Harbaugh was interested in bringing in a new RB1, specifically Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker.
Not only did Walker not happen for the Giants, as expected, but most of the other top running backs on the market have signed elsewhere, too.
This is good news for Skattebo, who showed tons of promise as a full-time back his rookie year before his injury.
Of course, there is still one route Big Blue could take in adding a potentially elite running back to this offense, and that’s by drafting Notre Dame star Jeremiyah Love at No. 5 overall.
That’s a move Giants nation would certainly be very mixed on.
More on Giants’ Patrick Ricard News
Giants' Patrick Ricard signing news is great for Cam Skattebo
GettyThe New York Giants are expected to sign Baltimore Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard.
Skinner posted a full film breakdown on Ricard late last night on March 10. And this is the type of gritty signing that Giants fans expected out of Harbaugh.
Football games aren’t always won by the team with the most stars. Just look at the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks or the Giants’ most recent championship teams.
Sometimes, football is just about physically dominating the person in front of you on the field. That’s what Ricard is all about.
A former undrafted rookie out of Maine, Ricard is now 31 years old, and will soon be 32 in May.
He’s found a niche role as a sort of hybrid fullback/tight end for Harbaugh over the years, and he has not disappointed.
Ricard won’t light up the stat sheet on offense. He has 360 career receiving yards, including the postseason, with 7 total touchdowns and 18 first downs.
At his core, Ricard is a clutch short-yardage pass-catcher and an absolute beast of a blocker. Don’t expect him to run the ball much, as he only has 22 career rushing yards off 11 carries.
If his NYG tenure is anything like the Baltimore one, Ricard will become an immediate fan favorite in New York. You might even say he embodies what Harbaugh means when he says “New York Football Giants.”