The Ravens didn’t make any major additions to their receiving corps this offseason, which signals their belief that players already on the team are set to take a step forward.
Rashod Bateman would be at the top of that list. The 2021 first-round pick missed time with injuries in his first two seasons before recording 32 catches for 367 yards in 16 games last year. That’s not quite what one would have in mind for a player with that draft pedigree, but the Ravens have shown continued faith that Bateman’s best days are in front of him.
The team signed him to a two-year extension this offseason and extending his stay through 2026 is a sign of that faith. As offseason work wound down, tight end Mark Andrews said that he believes his teammate is set for a breakout season.
“I think he looks incredible,” Andrews said, via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. “Everything -- his route running, catching the ball, being where he’s supposed to be -- he has it down to a science. I know he’s worked really hard, but he looks about as put together as he’s ever been. So, it’s going to be a big year for Rashod Bateman. I’m calling it now.”
Offseason hype doesn’t always translate to the fall, so the Ravens will be hoping that the hopeful offseason developments don’t prove to be a tease when it comes to Bateman.