‘It was a surprise deal for us’ — Ravens coach John Harbaugh comes clean on the surprising nature of the extended absence of a vital role player
“If we’d have known it was going to be this, we’d have put him on IR the first week.”
Injuries are a big piece of the conversation around the Baltimore Ravens right now. It’s a team that’s been shellshocked with major hit after major hit. Some of those players, like quarterback Lamar Jackson, are expected back soon. Others, like defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, are confirmed done for the season.
One such injury brings to mind the saying “absence makes the heart grow fonder”. Let us all take a moment to appreciate Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard — who has yet to dress this season. His impact on the running game and the help he provides running back Derrick Henry is more apparent now than ever as a result.
The frustrating part is, per John Harbaugh, the Ravens didn’t see this extended absence coming.
John Harbaugh dishes on the surprising extended absence of fullback Patrick Ricard
“It was a surprise deal for us. I’m just going to be honest about it. It was supposed to be a two, three-week injury when it first happened in training camp, and then (Pat) re-tweaked it, and it was supposed to be another two or three weeks. It’s been a been slow burn. If we’d have known it was going to be this, we’d have put him on IR the first week, and we’d have another roster spot. Nobody is more frustrated than Pat, and that’s been a tough one. We’re looking at that. We’re looking at that to be the Bears game. That’s the one I’m hoping for Pat.”
— John Harbaugh on the extended absence of Patrick Ricard
Ricard is now looking at the possibility of missing nearly the entire first half of the season. If he’s successful in reaching a return in time for the Bears game, it would mean he’s missed the first seven weeks of the 2025 season.
Derrick Henry’s rushing splits with and without fullback Patrick Ricard in Baltimore since 2024
- Henry’s rushing totals with Patrick Ricard on the field: 6.2 yards per carry, 73% third down conversion rate, 2.63 yards before contact
- Henry’s rushing totals without Patrick Ricard on the field: 5.2 yards per carry, 45% third down conversion rate, 1.90 yards before contact
His impact to a rushing offense is obvious, particularly when the Ravens are seeking to get Derrick Henry rolling on the ground without Lamar Jackson. Jackson appears to have a better chance of returning before Ricard from his own hamstring injury — although both returning at the same time coming out of the bye may be considered the most likely outcome.
If that’s how it plays out, it aligns favorably with Baltimore’s softening schedule. But they will have no margin for error should they drop a game to Los Angeles this Sunday against the Rams. Getting Ricard back late is better than never at all — but as Harbaugh himself concedes, getting caught off guard without him helps underscore his value to the running game and amplifies even more the impact the injury bug has taken on this football team.
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