Who Should I Start? Giovanni Ricci or Blake Whiteheart

Monday, February 3, 7:02 PM

The New England Patriots signed free-agent tight end Giovanni Ricci (knee) to a Reserve/Futures deal on Monday. Ricci was on the Cleveland Browns' practice squad in 2024 but never was active for a regular-season game and was cut in August due to a knee injury. The 28-year-old former undrafted free agent out of Western Michigan made his NFL debut in 2021 with the Carolina Panthers, with all 36 of his career games coming with Carolina. In three NFL seasons, Ricci has caught only nine of 12 targets for 102 yards and no touchdowns with the Panthers. Ricci is more of a blocker than a pass-catcher and will now represent tight end depth for the Patriots throughout the offseason and into training camp this summer. The most likely scenario is that he'll effective serve as a fullback for new Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

Thursday, November 21, 2:32 PM

The Cleveland Browns are elevating tight end Blake Whiteheart from the practice squad for the Thursday Night Football contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. With Geoff Swaim (concussion) inactive for Week 12 due to a concussion, Whiteheart will serve as the team's TE3 behind David Njoku and Jordan Akins. The second-year undrafted free agent has hauled in three receptions for 13 yards and a touchdown in four games for Cleveland this season, but he is not on the fantasy football radar.