Giants' new flock of Ravens makes John Harbaugh feel right at home
Former Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard during a game against the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 16, 2025. Credit: AP/Kirk Irwin
When John Harbaugh was hired as Giants coach in January, it was a foregone conclusion that he’d bring some former Ravens to help establish the team’s new identity.
Those teams were physical and defined by their annual clashes with the Steelers, their AFC North rival. So for Harbaugh’s first free agency period, he’s infused the old with the new by adding four ex-Ravens so far.
Tight end Isaiah Likely, punter Jordan Stout, fullback Patrick Ricard and cornerback Ar’Darius Washington signed new deals this week. Even linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who signed from the Bears, grew up a Ravens fan and called Ray Lewis his favorite player.
Call it the Baltimore Giants or New York Ravens. But for Likely and Ricard, they’ll help reshape an offense while also showing teammates what to expect from Harbaugh.
“You're going to see guys playing incredibly hard for one another,” said Ricard, who signed a two-year deal. “You're going to see a defense that's not going to want to come to MetLife Stadium to play us. You're going to see, you know, just bodies flying all over the place.”
Ricard will lead the way for that, literally. He brings his 6-3, 300 pound frame to the backfield that got more physical last season drafting Cam Skattebo.
As for Likely, who signed a three-year deal worth $40 million, he’s another physical tight end in a room with Theo Johnson and Chris Manhertz. He can also line up in the slot, which means defenses have to deal with a 6-4, 245 pound tight end as opposed to a shorter receiver like Wan’Dale Robinson.
His good hands allowed him to develop a reliable chemistry with Lamar Jackson, who often threw to him in clutch situations. Likely expects the same with Jaxson Dart, who he admired for his charisma and leaning on tight ends as targets.
“When you watch (Dart), you see the type of drive he has to win any game by any means necessary,” Likely said. “You love that when you have a quarterback like that that's ready to do whatever it takes to win the game.
The Giants were fifth in rushing last season thanks to Skattebo, Dart, Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary. That could be the expectation next season with an offense that’ll be run heavy under Harbaugh.
With Ricard bringing the nickname “Pancake Pat”, it’s teased the possibilities of him clearing away defenders ahead of Tracy and Dart racing free or Skattebo adding more power behind Ricard.
“It's going to look like a lot of yards and a lot of touchdowns,” Ricard said about blocking for Skattebo. “It's going to be just physicality all over the place. It's going to just be exactly what the people want to see.”
The same could apply to Edmunds. Although the new linebacker was never a Raven, he admired them growing up in Virginia and called Harbaugh a Hall of Fame coach.
With that education and playing for the Bears the last three seasons, Edmunds thinks he’ll fit in well bringing more of the physicality Harbaugh wants.
“He's a guy that you just get the feel, like you know what, man, he's all ball,” Edmunds said. “It’s not just all talk. It's based off his resumé. Like just look at the things that he's done. If you have any type of competitive drives in your blood or whatever, like you want to be playing for a guy like that.”
It’s an attitude adjustment the Giants need. They're 13-38 since the start of 2023, just one win above the Titans for the NFL’s worst record over that span. If Harbaugh wants to turn things around, it helps having ex-Ravens familiar with his way of business.
Ricard said he would’ve followed Harbaugh anywhere, even if Harbaugh was coaching a Pop Warner team and needed a water boy. For Likely, it means living the Harbaugh gospel one play at a time.
“Up front you're going to be physical, you're going to be violent, you're going to play the whole 60 minutes like you're winning the whole game,” Likely said. “You're going to fight until you get the 'W' from the first snap to the last snap. That's the thing that Coach Harbs preaches every day, every practice, every meeting.”
Source: Pinnock, Campbell agree to deals
The Giants agreed to a one-year deals with safeties Jason Pinnock and Elijah Campbell, a league source confirmed to Newsday. It's a return for Pinnock, who played for the Giants in 2022-24 and started 37 games. He played for the 49ers last season.
Campbell spent the past five seasons with the Dolphins, mostly on special teams.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
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