The Baltimore Ravens are trying to find ways to get over the hump and make it to the Super Bowl, and a primary objective this offseason has been to bolster the offense around star quarterback Lamar Jackson. While they have gone out and made some big moves, like signing running back Derrick Henry, the front office is also looking to keep their own guys in town, as evidenced by their latest move with wide receiver Rashod Bateman.
Baltimore selected Bateman with the 27th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, but he largely has not panned out yet, as he's struggled with injuries and inconsistent production on the field. The Ravens had a decision to make on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal soon, but they have managed to make that irrelevant by signing Bateman to an extension that will keep him with the team through the 2026 campaign.
Ravens giving Rashod Bateman more time to become a consistent producer
The Ravens had high hopes for Bateman, and while he's shown some promise, he's struggled to find a consistent role on the team. It seemed like he was set to become the team's number one wideout, but injuries limited him to just six games in 2022, and then the team went out and drafted Zay Flowers with the 22nd overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, which led to Bateman taking a backseat to him.
Picking up Bateman's $14.435 million fifth-year option on his rookie deal was never going to happen, and this extension signals that even Bateman realizes that was the case. While the terms of this deal aren't known yet, it's clear it will come in at a far lower price than that, which is great for the Ravens, who get to keep the talented former first-round pick without having to worry about whether or not they made the right decision in regards to his fifth-year option.
This extension will make that option disappear, and chances are Bateman will have two extra years tacked onto his current deal, which will see him get a base salary of $2.378 million. That number will increase in 2025 and 2026, but assuming Bateman can find his way with the team, that would be a price well worth paying.
Bateman is a big-play threat who has put together some explosive highlights when he's been on the field. His numbers in 2023 leave a lot to be desired (32 REC, 367 YDS, 1 TD), but again, his role with the team was murky with the addition of Flowers. With this extension, the Ravens are indicating that they want to give Bateman a fair shot to emerge alongside Flowers in their wide receiver room.
More will be known about Bateman's standing with Baltimore once the money involved with this deal comes out, but Jackson needs all the help he can on offense, so keeping a wide receiver he has a good rapport with in town isn't exactly a bad idea. Now, it will be on Bateman to take some strides forward and begin to realize the potential the Ravens saw when they drafted him, or else his time with the team could come to an end far sooner than initially expected.
Follow Us
Subscribe