It’s now or never for Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman. Selected with the 27th-overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Minnesota product has yet to justify his early selection. While he’s had some moments of greatness, the injuries and an inability to climb the depth chart have ultimately limited Bateman throughout his short career. The wideout has yet to crack 600 yards in a single season, as he spent the entire 2023 season buried behind first-round pick Zay Flowers and veteran Odell Beckham.
However, Rashod Bateman could finally break out in his fourth season with the Ravens. With Beckham now in Miami, Baltimore needs their former first-round pick to play up to his potential. While on-field results are all that matter in the long run, both players and coaches alike seem to believe that Bateman will make the leap in 2024.
Rashod Bateman Impressing Ravens Teammates, Coaches Alike
Throughout the offseason, players like Mark Andrews and first-round pick Nate Wiggins have raved about Bateman’s performance. Andrews recently said that the wideout looks “incredible” and thinks he’ll have a “big year,” while Wiggins said Bateman is the toughest receiver to cover on the team. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh issued similar praise, saying he expects Rashod Bateman to take a “big step” in 2024.
Talk is one thing, but the Ravens also put their money where their mouth is when they extended Rashod Bateman. Back in April, Baltimore gave him a two-year, $12.8 million contract extension to keep him from reaching free agency at the end of the season. While this didn’t reset the market by any stretch of the imagination, this is still a decent contract for a player who has yet to establish himself as a consistent threat. So, the question now becomes if this is all unjustified offseason hype or if the wide receiver is finally ready to be a key piece in this passing attack.
Can He Justify The Hype?
The offseason is a time of unrivaled optimism and you never want to buy in too hard to these types of narratives. After all, at this point last year, Terrace Marshall would be the top option in Carolina’s passing attack, Bryce Young looked like a superstar in the making, and C.J. Stroud was struggling to beat out Davis Mills for the starting job. The fact of the matter is we don’t know anything and nothing matters until the season starts.
Based on historical precedent, it’s hard to imagine Rashod Bateman suddenly putting it all together for the Ravens. Target share is one of the more stable metrics out there, so even without Beckham, he probably won’t ever be a 100-catch, 1,000-yard type of player. Fortunately, he won’t have to be. Flowers showed plenty of promise as a rookie, Mark Andrews is one of the best tight ends in football, and former fourth-round pick Isaiah Likely is a fine depth piece.
Rashod Bateman won’t need to be a superstar for the Ravens, he’ll just need to be the third or fourth option in the passing attack. With the reigning MVP at quarterback supported by one of the league’s most talented defenses, Baltimore will be one of the league’s top teams regardless of what happens with Bateman. However, if the former first-round pick can be a reliable depth option in the passing game, then that might be enough to power this team past Kansas City.
Main pHoto: Mitch Stringer – USA Today Sports
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