Rashod Bateman Lands 3-Year, $36.75M Extension With Ravens

Wide receiver Rashod Bateman is sticking around in Baltimore a little longer and with a bigger payday.

The Ravens announced Thursday that Bateman has signed a new three-year contract extension worth $36.75 million, including $20 million in guaranteed money, according to ESPN. The deal comes after the former first-round pick significantly increased his production in 2024 following a previous extension.

Bateman, entering his fifth season with the team, originally signed a two-year, $12.87 million extension in 2024 to replace the fifth-year option he wasn’t eligible for. His rookie contract, signed in 2021, was extended through 2026 at the time, boosting his annual average from about $3.1 million to over $6.4 million.

The new deal comes after a year in which Bateman finally delivered on his first-round potential. After battling injuries early in his career — including a foot injury that sidelined him for much of his second and third seasons — Bateman turned in a healthy offseason and emerged as one of Lamar Jackson’s top targets.

Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken admitted the team hadn’t integrated Bateman into the offense as effectively as they could have early in the 2023 season. But as the year progressed, Bateman’s role and production grew significantly.

“Rashod really came on, and I’ve seen tremendous growth,” Monken said in 2024.

Bateman went from 32 catches for 367 yards in 2023 to 45 catches for 756 yards in 2024. He also became a key red zone threat, more than doubling his career touchdown total with nine scores last season after recording just four across his first three years.

While Bateman’s raw stats might not have always stood out, his efficiency did. According to Pro Football Focus, he consistently created separation from defenders — even outpacing star receivers like Tyreek Hill in that metric — but didn’t always get the ball due to misfires or missed opportunities.

Still, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta remained confident in Bateman’s potential, calling last year’s extension a “no brainer.” That confidence appears to have paid off, with Bateman and Jackson finally developing the on-field chemistry fans had long hoped for. The duo connected on multiple deep passes that landed on highlight reels throughout the season.

With a breakout year behind him and another new deal in hand, Bateman now has a clear path to becoming one of the Ravens’ cornerstone offensive weapons moving forward.

Rashod Bateman Lands 3-Year, $36.75M Extension With Ravens was originally published on wolbbaltimore.com