Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman was as surprised as anyone that the team approached him about a contract extension this offseason. He was coming off a so-so year, but the team was giving a vote of confidence.
Normally, this offseason the Baltimore Ravens would have had a difficult choice to make. As a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, a decision would need to be made on the fifth-year option on his rookie deal.
Because he didn’t participate at the start of training camp last year, his contract didn’t toll. Instead of penalizing him for that, the Baltimore Ravens came to a unique compromise.
They offered Bateman a two-year deal worth just under $13 million. It was something he wasn’t expecting but was grateful to have received.
To this point, injuries have defined the career of the Minnesota product. He has appeared in 34 games in his career, but 16 of them came last season as he was relatively healthy.
The Baltimore Ravens are hoping that is a sign of things to come. If Bateman has put the injury bug behind him, he can start showcasing his skills with more regularity which led to the team selecting him No. 27 overall in 2021.
The opportunity will be there this season. With Odell Beckham Jr. moving on in free agency, Bateman could emerge as the No. 2 receiver behind Zay Flowers.
Tight end Mark Andrews remains Lamar Jackson’s favorite target, but being No. 3 in the pecking order is better than it was for Bateman last season. Alas, not everyone is expecting a bounceback.
One of the people pessimistic about Bateman’s outlook is David Kenyon of Bleacher Report. In a recent piece, he predicted who will be the biggest bust for each team in the NFL in 2024. For the Baltimore Ravens, Bateman was the pick.
“Yes, it’s uncomfortable to move on from a top draft pick at a position of need. Simultaneously, the Ravens handed Rashod Bateman a two-year, $12.9 million extension after he barely generated 1,000 receiving yards in his first three seasons.
His profile isn’t exactly screaming “breakout player” even as Lamar Jackson has to throw to someone,” Kenyon wrote.
As long as Jackson is the Baltimore Ravens’ starting quarterback, this offense will be run-first. But, it is necessary to have weapons in the passing game to take some pressure off of the ground game.
The team is hopeful that Bateman can give them something now that he has had a healthy offseason to hone his craft. But, if Kenyon’s prediction comes true, they will be looking for moe help behind Flowers in 2025.
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