Ravens four-time Pro Bowl fullback Patrick Ricard may switch positions in Todd Monken’s new offense

The Baltimore Ravens are doing a 180-degree, Lamar Jackson-like spin move with their offense in 2023. From 2018 to 2022, with former offensive coordinator Greg Roman calling plays for four of those seasons (2019-2022), Baltimore ran for just over 14,007 yards, the most in a five-year since span since at least 1933. They averaged 170.8 rushing yards per game in that time, in the most in a five-year period since the Steel Curtain Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1970s (172.5 rushing yards per game). 

Now, the Ravens are looking to join the modern NFL and center their offense around Jackson’s passing abilities under new offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Jackson has expressed his excitement in Monken’s new scheme throughout the offseason. 

“Running can only take you so far. I feel like with this new era of teams and offenses in the league, I feel like we need that,” Jackson said.  

However, make a wholesale schematic change has ripple effects. The team ran 21 personnel, formations with two running backs — or a running back and a fullback — one tight end, and two wide receivers on 729 plays since 2019 under Roman, the third-highest rate in the NFL. In Monken’s system, after the team signed Pro Bowl wideout Odell Beckham Jr. and drafted Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers in Round 1, the Ravens are likely to utilize more 11 personnel, formations with one running back, one tight end, and three wide receivers much more frequently. 

That puts into question how much of a role fullback Patrick Ricard, the AFC’s Pro Bowler at the position in each year of the Roman Era from 2019-2022, will have under Monken. 

The 29-year-old made his training camp practice debut after being activated off of the physically unable to perform list (PUP), and as one might guess, it was at a couple different positions: offensive line and tight end, mainly in a blocking capacity. 

“We’re looking at that, it’s just a multiple role kind of thing,” Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said on Monday. “Pat’s quite an athlete. He can do a lot of different things. Maybe we expand his role just a little bit for a little bit of time and see how he does.”  

According to the team site, Baltimore is looking for a capable sixth blocker with the departure of tight end Josh Oliver to the Minnesota Vikings and the release of longtime tight end Nick Boyle. 

“I think Patrick’s an established player,” Ravens tight ends coach George Godsey said on Saturday. “He’s able to block people, move people, [and] he’s a good protector. His role is physicality, so with every offense, there has to be that component. He’s demonstrated that for the past few years. I think most of our opponents will say that, too.”