Tag: Giovanni Ricci

Browns terminate contract of FB/TE Giovanni Ricci after injury, sign another RB

A couple of minor moves today…

The Cleveland Browns continue to make minor roster moves, needing to field a full team for one more preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks. After trading kicker Cade York to the Washington Commanders, the Browns have also signed running back Jacob Salyors and have terminated the contract of fullback/tight end Giovanni Ricci.

Ricci was signed this offseason during free agency but suffered a lower-body injury during the second preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings. With Nick Harris returning, a player who took most of fullback snaps a year ago, Ricci’s absence should not be felt.

Salyors comes to the Browns one day after running back Pierre Strong Jr. left practice in an ambulance with a rib injury. Salyors has been in the NFL for two seasons now, spending time with the Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants in that time. He was recently just cut by the Giants.

These moves are not consequential and are mostly clerical.

Do the Browns have their TE3 on the roster right now?

The Browns are transitioning away from heavy sets and into 11 personnel looks, but they still need a body in the tight end room. Is that player currently on the roster?

The Cleveland Browns suffered numerous injuries in their latest preseason game when they hosted the Minnesota Vikings. Among these injuries was the standout fullback and tight end, Giovanni Ricci, who suffered a knee injury. This leaves the Browns questioning how long Ricci will be out and who will backup David Njoku as we approach Week 1 of the regular season.

One of the players who will find more playing time opportunities is second-year tight end Jordan Akins. The former Houston Texan teammate of Deshaun Watson is now in the second and last year of his $3.9 million contract and provided meaningful playing time last season with 15 catches and 132 yards. Another highly touted candidate to step up in Ricci’s spot is promising young tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden.

The former Florida Atlantic Owl did not provide any regular season stats in his rookie season but has shown exciting potential in his first two preseason showings. On Saturday’s showing against the Vikings, he caught all four of his targets for 59 yards. This led the team in both receptions and yards.

The Browns still await the official word on the extent of Ricci’s injury but hope to have him back sooner rather than later. As for the tight end, Njoku will still need someone to help take some of the reps this season.

Browns FB Giovanni Ricci suffers knee injury vs. Vikings

Cleveland Browns tight end Giovanni Ricci exited the preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings with a knee injury

Cleveland Browns tight end Giovanni Ricci exited the preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings with a knee injury. Ricci suffered the injury during the two-minute drill after catching a pass for a first down. Ricci limped to the sideline to see the medical trainers. The savvy veteran move saved the Browns from using a timeout. Ricci was ruled out at halftime.

The Browns signed Ricci during the offseason to serve as the team’s H-Back. Ricci played very well before suffering the injury. Ricci, a converted fullback, looked very natural as a pass catcher. Ricci recorded 32 yards on 4 catches during the first half. 

Ricci is competing for a roster spot in a crowded Browns’ tight end room this season. The tight end room is uncharacteristically weak this season. The Browns require a lot from their tight ends. The team’s best option inside the room might come from assistant coach Mike Vrabel who has embedded himself in the group coached by Tommy Rees.

Panthers not expected to tender TE Giovanni Ricci

As is the case with WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette, TE Giovanni Ricci will not be tendered by the Panthers.

Ihmir Smith-Marsette is about to be joined on the open market by a familiar face.

According to Joseph Person of The Athletic, the Carolina Panthers will not tender tight end Giovanni Ricci—who is set to enter free agency next week. Person also confirmed an earlier report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who noted that Smith-Marsette will not be tendered by the team as well.

Ricci and Smith-Marsette entered the 2024 offseason as restricted free agents, which gave the Panthers a bit of control in terms of their next deal. But today’s reported decisions make both players unrestricted free agents, giving them the right to sign away to another team without having to wait for Carolina to potentially match any offers.

Originally a fullback, Ricci entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Panthers in 2020. The Western Michigan product eventually transitioned to tight end, where he’s amassed nine receptions for 102 yards over the last two seasons.

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Full list of 2024 Panthers free agents

The Panthers currently have 26 players slated for free agency in 2024.

Things have changed a bit since the last time we brought you this free agent list.

A few weeks back, the Carolina Panthers held on to a few of their own—re-signing tight end Stephen Sullivan and defensive linemen Nick Thurman LaBryan Ray to fresh deals.

So, let’s take an updated look at the team’s pending 2024 free agents.

Panthers’ updated 53-man roster after Tuesday’s flurry of moves

Gallery: Carolina Panthers’ updated 53-man roster after Tuesday’s flurry of moves

The Carolina Panthers’ active roster will look a lot different when the team hits the field this afternoon.

Tuesday brought a flurry of moves, including four adjustments to the injured reserve list and a pair of signees. In is guard Austin Corbett, offensive lineman Brett Toth and outside linebacker Luiji Vialin and out is tight end Giovanni Ricci, outside linebacker Yetur Gross-Matos and safety Jeremy Chinn.

So, here’s a fresh look at the updated 53-man program:

Panthers sign 2 players on Tuesday

The Panthers signed OL Brett Toth and OLB Luiji Vilain to their active roster on Tuesday.

Tuesday brought quite a bit of shelf work for the Carolina Panthers—who activated right guard Austin Corbett while also sending safety Jeremy Chinn, outside linebacker Yetur Gross-Matos and tight end Giovanni Ricci to injured reserve. So, in case you haven’t done the math, two spots needed to be filled.

As officially announced by the team, those spots have been filled by offensive lineman Brett Toth and outside linebacker Luiji Vilain. Toth and Vilain—who were members of the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings practice squads, respectively—will now join Carolina’s active roster.

Toth, who attended the United States Military Academy, broke into the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Eagles in 2019. The Charleston, S.C. native played in a total of 17 games for Philadelphia between 2020 and 2021—recording 102 snaps at right tackle, 14 at right guard and 30 at center.

Vilain, fresh off an elevation into last night’s win over the San Francisco 49ers, has appeared in four games for the Vikings in the last two seasons. He’s amassed four tackles.

In addition, the Panthers also released offensive lineman Justin McCray from their practice squad.

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Panthers place Jeremy Chinn, Yetur Gross-Matos, Giovanni Ricci on IR

The Panthers have placed S Jeremy Chinn, OLB Yetur Gross-Matos and TE Giovanni Ricci on injured reserve.

The Carolina Panthers made an unfortunate and uneven swap on Tuesday, and it had nothing to do with the upcoming trade deadline.

As announced by the team this afternoon, starting right guard Austin Corbett has been activated after missing the first six games of the season. But, they’ll be sending three players back the other way—as safety Jeremy Chinn (quadriceps), outside linebacker Yetur Gross-Matos (hamstring) and tight end Giovanni Ricci (shoulder) have all been placed on injured reserve.

ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter first shined a light on Chinn’s setback last week, revealing that the fourth-year defensive back sustained a “significant” quad injury in the Week 6 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Schefter also added that Chinn would be expected to miss up to six weeks, so his placement on IR isn’t much of a surprise.

Gross-Matos’ placement, however, is. Chinn’s fellow 2020 draftee was off to the best start of his pro career, as he racked up 2.5 sacks and five tackles for a loss through the team’s six outings.

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Thomas Brown talks about lack of production from Panthers TEs

OC Thomas Brown on lack of production from Panthers TEs: It’s not just about touches and catches

2023 really seemed like the year where the Carolina Panthers would finally see some numbers from the tight end position. Their new head coach was considered quite tight end-friendly, their new offensive coordinator was a tight ends coach under Sean McVay and they signed a solid pass catcher in Hayden Hurst.

But, uh, the stats still aren’t there.

Through four games, Panthers tight ends have combined for 104 yards and one touchdown on 13 receptions. So, that new offensive coordinator was asked about the lack of production on Thursday.

“Well, I think one thing when you talk about the tight end group is when you understand the position,” Thomas Brown said prior to this afternoon’s practice. “And having had a chance to coach that before I came here in L.A.—that’s a spot that kinda has a lot of involvement with the offense. I think when you talk about overall success, it’s not just about touches and catches. What they do in the run game and protection game is a big part of overall success.”

Carolina’s group of Hurst, Tommy Tremble, Ian Thomas and Giovanni Ricci has not been tasked with much from a receiving standpoint—having been targeted a total of 20 times thus far. They haven’t been particularly awesome in the run game or in the protection game either, as none currently have a top-20 grade from Pro Football Focus in run- or pass-blocking.

Regardless, there are 13 games to go and plenty to figure out—and it’s not just the tight ends who need to step it up.

“And I won’t just holler at that group and say there needs to be more production,” Brown added. “We need more production overall, from everybody. It’s not just that one group in particular.”

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