The Ravens didn’t take any big swings on receivers this offseason as they opted to roll with returning members of last year’s team as targets for quarterback Lamar Jackson’s passes in 2024.
That approach puts Rashod Bateman in a key role for Baltimore. The 2021 first-round pick returned from a foot injury that limited him to six games in 2022, but he only posted 32 catches for 367 yards in 16 regular season appearances. The team showed faith in Bateman by signing him to a two-year, $12 million extension and head coach John Harbaugh made it clear on Monday that the team has high expectations for the wideout in his fourth season.
“Rashod’s been working to make plays — To see him come out and make those catches, those are great catches,” Harbaugh said. “Traffic catches, one catch he plucked off the ground there. I was excited, everybody was fired up about it. That’s what we expect from Rashod Bateman. He’s expected to be a top receiver in the league for us. That’s what we’re planning on.”
The Ravens will also be looking for Zay Flowers to take a step forward and getting bigger things from both of the former first-round picks would be a big step in the right direction for their passing offense.