After surprise contract extension, Rashod Bateman has been productive for the Ravens

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens showed confidence in Rashod Bateman, and so far he's delivered.

For most of his career, Bateman has taken one step forward and one step back, struggling to be the type of consistent receiving threat the Ravens were looking for when they drafted him in the first round in 2021. This season, however, his health and productivity have aligned, giving Lamar Jackson another target that he increasingly seems to trust.

With the Ravens facing third-and-goal from the 5-yard line in a tie game last week, Jackson lofted a pass to Bateman in the back of the end zone. Bateman had also caught a couple passes earlier on that drive. Baltimore went on to beat Cincinnati 35-34.

“I think this offense is definitely a living unknown,” Bateman said. “We’ve got guys all over the place that can make plays and we continue to show that.”

When Baltimore drafted Bateman, the Ravens were a work in progress offensively, trying to acquire as much talent to play with Jackson as possible. As a rookie, he missed the first five weeks of the season because of a groin injury. Then he played only six games in 2022 thanks to a foot problem.

He finally was able to play 16 games last season but managed only 32 catches. The Ravens had drafted another first-round receiver, Zay Flowers, who emerged as the team's top wideout, and there were questions about whether a real connection between Jackson and Bateman would ever flourish.

The Ravens, however, weren't giving up on him. They had a fifth-year option on Bateman, and rather than simply pick that up, they gave him an extension all the way through 2026 — a move the receiver admitted came “out of nowhere.”

This season, he already has 31 catches for 501 yards — just 14 yards shy of his career high. He's already doubled his career best with four touchdown catches.

“We’re just balling right now. We’re just playing football,” Jackson said after Bateman caught a 59-yard TD pass — part of a 121-yard night — against Tampa Bay last month. “He’s been doing a good job at getting open — it’s just getting him involved with what’s going on. We have a lot of dynamic guys on the offense, sometimes it’s hard for him to get the ball, but how it’s been going each and every week, defense’s eyes are on everybody. It’s like, ‘Who do we have to guard? Who do we have to double?’ And in one-on-one matchups, I love our receivers.”

The Ravens don't need Bateman to become an All-Pro. Flowers has been productive in his second season, tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely are significant contributors, and the addition of running back Derrick Henry has helped turn Baltimore into the league's top-ranked offense.

Jackson is willing to spread the ball around, however, and that means opportunities for plenty of pass catchers. Last week, Tylan Wallace delivered an 84-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown. Baltimore also acquired receiver Diontae Johnson recently, and this week he goes up against one of his former teams when the Ravens play at Pittsburgh.

When a team is playing as well offensively as Baltimore is, it's a team effort.

“The media said that me and Lamar don’t have a connection, but we do,” Bateman said recently. “I think we’re doing a good job of showing it this season, with a lot of work put in that goes into that.”

NOTES: S Kyle Hamilton (ankle) was limited in practice Thursday. Likely (hamstring), LB Kyle Van Noy (illness) and DE Brent Urban (concussion) were full participants.

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