Patriots sign fullback/tight end Giovanni Ricci to futures contract
The New England Patriots signed fullback/tight end Giovanni Ricci to a futures contract on Monday.
It’s been three years since the New England Patriots had a full-time fullback on their roster. After he was hired last month, new head coach Mike Vrabel suggested that could change this season. The hire of Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator – who was in the job the last time the Patriots had a full-time fullback in 2021 – made the return of the position seem even more likely.
Now, the team has a player that could end up at least competing for that job in training camp. On Monday, the Patriots announced the signing of Giovanni Ricci to a futures contract.
Ricci, 28, entered the NFL as a UDFA out of Western Michigan in 2020. He signed with the Carolina Panthers, and appeared in 36 games between 2021 and 2023. During that time Ricci, at 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, split his time between the fullback and tight end positions and caught nine passes for 102 yards in those games. He also has significant special teams experience
Last year Ricci signed with the Cleveland Browns in free agency. He was mixing in first-team reps during training camp, but suffered a knee injury in the preseason and was released in August with an injury settlement. Ricci remained unsigned throughout last season.

In Cleveland Ricci was was a part of the tight end room – where Vrabel spent considerable time while on the Browns’ staff last season. Ricci also has experience with another Patriots coach – he was on the roster in Carolina while Ben McAdoo was the offensive coordinator in 2022.
Jakob Johnson was the last full-time tight end with the Patriots, leaving after the 2021 season. Johnson and other past fullbacks were a part of the Patriots’ tight end room. That room currently includes Hunter Henry, Jaheim Bell, and Jack Westover. Austin Hooper is a pending free agent.
Ricci is now the eighth player the Patriots have signed to a futures contract this offseason. The team signed seven of its practice squad players to such deals when their season ended last month.
A futures contract is a mechanic that lets teams sign players who were not on an active roster (including practice squad players) without having to wait until the new league year. These contracts, which are usually worth at or around the league minimum, don’t officially kick in until the new league year begins in March when the roster limit increases from 53 players to 90.