Poe the Raven
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- Mar 16, 2019
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Patrick Ricard played 31 percent of the Ravens’ offensive snaps, 14 percent of the Ravens’ defensive snaps and 23 percent of the Ravens’ special teams snaps this season, making him unique in the modern NFL.
Ricard was the first player in a decade to play 100 snaps on both offense and defense in the same season, but he thinks he’ll be far from the last player to do it.
“I think you’re going to start seeing it more and more,” Ricard told USA Today.
Ricard was an undrafted rookie defensive lineman who wasn’t even sure if he’d make the team in 2017 when Greg Roman, who was then an offensive assistant and has since been promoted to offensive coordinator, approached him in the team facility and told him to be ready to line up as a lead-blocking fullback. Ricard did just that at the next practice, did it quite well, and has ended up playing more snaps on offense than on defense in all three of his NFL seasons.
This season Ricard was chosen the AFC’s Pro Bowl fullback, and the Ravens locked him up with a two-year, $7.3 million contract extension. He’s made himself a valuable player, in all phases of the game.