The Patriots signed tight end Giovanni Ricci to a futures contract Monday, the team announced.

Ricci was out of football last season after spending training camp in Cleveland, where he crossed paths with new Patriots coach Mike Vrabel while Vrabel worked a hybrid Browns assistant coach/consultant. Ricci originally entered the league as a rookie free agent in Carolina. He played three years with the Panthers, making nine catches for 109 yards over 36 games appearances. During that time, he also made four starts.

Ricci stands at 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds and graduated from Western Michigan University. In college, Ricci caught 51 passes for 642 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior.

The 28-year-old joins fellow tight ends Hunter Henry, Jaheim Bell and Jack Westover on the team’s depth chart. Austin Hooper is scheduled to hit free agency next month. He projects as a depth piece this summer.