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Rashod Bateman

Latest On Ravens’ Backfield Injuries

September 30th, 2023 at 10:28am CST by Ben Levine

The Ravens are dealing with injuries throughout their offense, with wideouts Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman having already been ruled out for tomorrow’s game against the Browns (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). While Baltimore’s receiving corps may be in doubt, the team did get some good news regarding their running back depth.

Justice Hill is expected to play on Sunday against Cleveland, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. A toe injury kept Hill off the field for last weekend’s loss to the Colts.

The Ravens were really forced to dig into their running back depth against Indy. J.K. Dobbins, of course, has been ruled out for the season, and with Hill missing the contest, the Ravens were expected to lean heavily on Gus Edwards. However, the veteran suffered a concussion during that contest, and the Ravens ended up giving Melvin Gordon and Kenyan Drake a combined 40 snaps.

While Fowler notes that Gordon is still expected to be called up from the practice squad for Baltimore’s Week 4 game, it sounds like the team should be able to roll with their top-two options at the position. Edwards returned to practice this week, an indication that he’s cleared concussion protocol and should be good to go for this weekend.

With Hill also expected back, it will be interesting to see how the Ravens divvy up the RB snaps. Hill outsnapped Edwards when the two played alongside each other in Week 2 (43 to 32), and Hill also got more snaps when Dobbins went down during Week 1.

Latest On Ravens’ J.K. Dobbins, Rashod Bateman

August 25th, 2023 at 9:39am CST by Adam La Rose

The 2023 offseason saw the Ravens make a number of changes on offense, but returnees will still have a major role to play in the unit’s success. That group includes running back J.K. Dobbins and wideout Rashod Bateman, who recently addressed the injury troubles which have marred their respective careers.

Dobbins missed all of 2021 and much of last season due to a major knee injury. The 24-year-old was able to return for the closing weeks of the campaign and Baltimore’s wild-card loss, but he was then absent for much of this offseason. Dobbins was not in attendance for OTAs or minicamp, and it was not until last week that he was activated from the PUP list.

Uncertainty clouded whether an injury or dissatisfaction with his contract status was the reason Dobbins did not take part in spring practices and most of training camp. His return was welcomed by a team which should again rely on him to lead its backfield, although the Ohio State product has not received the workload of many other No. 1 backs when on the field. In any case, he is confident in his prospects for 2023.

“That’s a tough question,” Dobbins said, via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, when speaking about his absence in the spring (subscription required). “I was just being cautious. My teammates need me, so I want to be there for my teammates. That’s all it was. My teammates understood what was going on. So, it’s all good now. I’m out here.

“I’m pretty dang confident, especially coming off the end of the year last year,” he added. “A lot of people could see that I wasn’t all the way 100 percent healthy, but I still had some pretty good games there… If I get the volume as some of the other guys, it’ll be a really good year.”

Signficant usage for Dobbins would mark a change from Baltimore’s previous approach with him, seeing as he has received more than 15 carries in a game only once so far in his career. It could also result in a productive campaign, something with signficant financial implications. Dobbins is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and, as Zrebiec confirms, nothing is imminent on the extension front. A healthy year would, in any event, help Dobbins’ case dramatically.

The same is true of Bateman, who has been limited to just 18 games across his first two years in the NFL. The former first-rounder was shut down due to a Lisfranc injury in 2022, and he too was not activated until August. Bateman has amassed 800 yards on a healthy 13.1 yards per reception average to date, but more will be expected of him in 2023 if he can put together a full season with respect to availability. He echoed Dobbins’ confidence in being healed in full at this point, and that his previous injury issues are now behind him.

The Minnesota product is joined in the WR corps by free agent additions Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor, along with first-round rookie Zay Flowers. Those new faces have increased expectations for Baltimore’s passing game, which will be directed by new offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Bateman, 23, will nevertheless be a focal point if he can reach his potential, which was showcased by his first two Ravens campaigns and a strong career in college.

Amongst their remarks, both Dobbins and Bateman expressed a desire to remain in Baltimore for years to come. With the former set to hit free agency next March and the latter due to have a decision made on his fifth-year option next spring as well, the health and play of both will be worth watching closely in 2023.

Ravens Activate WR Rashod Bateman

August 9th, 2023 at 12:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

Injuries have marred Rashod Bateman‘s NFL career, and the Ravens have made significant adjustments to their wide receiver room this offseason. But the 2021 first-round pick will begin factoring into the team’s pass-catching work Wednesday.

Bateman passed his physical and is off Baltimore’s active/PUP list, the team announced. He will join Odell Beckham Jr., Nelson Agholor and first-round pick Zay Flowers in a revamped position group. Bateman has not played since sustaining a Lisfranc injury in October 2022.

While Bateman returned in time for OTAs, he received a cortisone shot in his foot in June. That injection was only supposed to sideline the Minnesota alum for a brief period, but he ended up missing two weeks of training camp. John Harbaugh alluded to Bateman’s foot surgery leading to pain in other areas. Nevertheless, the third-year receiver is back in action.

This is not new territory for Bateman, who underwent groin surgery that shelved him for part of the Ravens’ 2021 camp and the start of that season. Bateman has missed 16 games during his career thus far. After a promising start to his sophomore NFL campaign, Bateman saw the Lisfranc surgery shut him down after six games. He totaled 15 receptions for 285 yards to start last season.

The Ravens operated with intent at receiver this offseason, blowing away the competition with a $15MM guarantee for Beckham and selecting a wideout in Round 1 for the third time in five years. Flowers and OBJ have impressed at camp thus far. It will be interesting to see how Bateman looks alongside the imported duo. He will have just more than a month to return to game shape ahead of his third regular season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/24/23

July 24th, 2023 at 9:34pm CST by Ely Allen

In a very busy day for the NFL in transactions, here are some of the minor moves that may have slipped through the cracks:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Ravens signed Ott after working out a trio of long snappers that also included Ryan Langan and Shane Griffin. The former Pro Bowler for the Seahawks won the tryout and is expected to be the replacement for Baltimore’s usual long snapper Nick Moore, who suffered a torn Achilles tendon during his offseason training, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Also, the breath of relief for Bateman is short-lived as, a day after being activated from the reserve/did not report list, Baltimore has placed the young receiver on the PUP list.

On a more positive note, a day after the Bears placed Claypool on the PUP list, he has been removed from it. He’ll now be eligible to participate in training camp starting this Wednesday. Tomlinson returns to Houston after being released back in May. He’ll get another chance to work in the tight ends room that includes Dalton Schultz, Teagan Quitoriano, and Brevin Jordan.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/23/23

July 23rd, 2023 at 5:58pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves heading into the week:

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Detroit Lions

Ravens fans can breathe a sigh of relief now that Bateman is set to return for camp. Bateman missed most of the team’s spring activities after receiving a cortisone shot in hopes it would help him get back in time for camp. It was slightly concerning that he didn’t initially report with the rest of the team, but general manager Eric DeCosta had reassured the media that Bateman was expected back soon. Two days later and Bateman should be in attendance for camp to start this week.

Claypool has been dealing with a soft tissue injury from earlier in the offseason. He was expected back in time for camp but clearly will have to wait a bit to rejoin the team.

With the departure of Eli Apple in free agency, Awuzie is expected to take a step up in the Bengals’ defense this year. Cincinnati will hope to get him back and working with the first-team secondary again soon. The absences of Cochran and Collins leave the team a little thin on tackle depth, but the starters remain available as Jonah Williams avoids any injury designations.

Detroit will have Jameson Williams available for training camp but not for the start of the season. The Lions will be hoping to get the opposite result for Jones, who will be unavailable to start camp.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/21/23

July 21st, 2023 at 7:56pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor transactions from around the league as teams prepare their rosters for training camp:

Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Washington Commanders

 

There are some big names in Baltimore that won’t be healthy to open camp. Two offensive youngsters who can’t seem to stay on the field, Dobbins and Bateman, continue to struggle to get healthy. Bateman sat out most of the spring after receiving a cortisone shot in hopes it would help get him back in time for camp. While he didn’t report, general manager Eric DeCosta expects him back soon, according to the team’s editorial director Ryan Mink. Dobbins has started thinking about his second contract this summer, and getting healthy will be key to gaining any leverage in negotiations. Ricard is no surprise, as head coach John Harbaugh predicted this placement a month ago. Bowser, though, experienced an unexpected flare up in his knee this spring after missing eight games last season.

In Cleveland, Goodwin experienced a medical scare recently when discomfort in his legs and shortness of breath turned out to be blood clots in his legs and lungs, according to James Palmer of NFL Network. He will miss the start of training camp as the clots are addressed.

In Denver, a kicking competition appears to be in the cards. The team held a workout for Maher, Elliott Fry, and Parker White back in May and ended up signing Fry. Now, with Maher joining the team, and the exit of Brandon McManus, the position battle between Maher and Fry will continue.

In Wisconsin, Gary and Stokes each ended their season after Week 9 of last year due to long-term injuries. Both will continue slowly working their way back in order to play big roles on defense.

In Vegas, Wilson, this year’s seventh overall pick, will have to be patient in finding his way to the field for his rookie year. He was expected to be cleared for training camp after ending his college career with a Lisfranc injury, but he’ll have to wait just a bit longer. The Raiders are counting on him to relieve some of the defensive responsibilities of Chandler Jones and Maxx Crosby.

Ravens Rumors: Ricard, Bateman, OL

June 21st, 2023 at 8:57pm CST by Ely Allen

Baltimore will be without its four-time Pro Bowl fullback to start training camp, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN. Head coach John Harbaugh told the media last week that Patrick Ricard underwent hip surgery this offseason, meaning he’ll start training camp on the physically unable to perform list.

After five seasons of defensive line play at Maine, Ricard began his career playing on both sides of the ball for the Ravens, serving double duty as a defensive lineman and a fullback. Over the past four years, Ricard has played exclusively on the offensive side of the ball, routinely grading out as the league’s top fullback, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

With Ricard out, the Ravens will turn to former fifth-round pick Ben Mason. It’s no wonder Baltimore saw something it liked in Mason in the 2021 NFL Draft. Coming out of Michigan, Mason had just moved into a fullback/tight end role for the Wolverines after spending a season at defensive tackle as a junior. They must’ve seen a lot of Ricard in Mason, but without an immediate need for him, Mason failed to make the final 53-man roster that year.

Mason spent 2021 on the Patriots’ and Bears’ practice squads. After the season ended, Mason returned to Baltimore, spending last season on the practice squad. If Ricard is forced to miss extended time due to his hip surgery, Mason could finally get a chance to prove his worth.

Here are a few other rumors coming out of Charm City:

  • Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman has had a rocky start to his NFL career. Despite obvious displays of the talent that got him drafted in the first round two years ago, Bateman has struggled to stay on the field. Over his first two seasons, Bateman has missed 17 total games, including a playoff game this past season. Groin surgery just before his rookie season forced him to miss five games and a Lisfranc surgery ended his season early last year. He’s not quite out of the woods yet, according to Jonas Shaffer of The Baltimore Banner. Harbaugh told the media that Bateman had received a cortisone shot “for healing purposes.” He seemed to hope that it would help keep the injury short-term, claiming that the shot would only sideline Bateman for a couple of days. “We just decided to let him keep rehabbing and make sure he’s ready to go for training camp,” Harbaugh explained.
  • A couple weeks ago, we delved into the Ravens’ position battle at left guard. At the time, we mentioned drafted rookies Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu and Andrew Vorhees. Vorhees will likely spend most, if not all, of his rookie season recovering from recent injuries, while we noted Aumavae-Laulu was projected as a developmental pick. The assessments on Aumavae-Laulu may have been a bit off as Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic has reported that he appears to be very much in the mix for the starting left guard job. Harbaugh apparently made it very clear by featuring the sixth-round pick heavily in minicamp.
  • Former first-round wide receiver Laquon Treadwell recently got another chance to stick on a roster by signing with Baltimore. Thanks to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, we now have a few details on his new contract. According to Wilson, Treadwell will receive the league veteran minimum on a one-year, $1.17MM deal.

Ravens WR Rashod Bateman Participating In OTAs

May 22nd, 2023 at 6:36pm CST by Ben Levine

Rashod Bateman‘s 2022 campaign ended in November following season-ending Lisfranc foot surgery. While recovering from foot injuries is especially difficult for skill players, the Ravens wideout sounds like he’ll be ready to go for the start of the 2023 season.

As Clifton Brown of the team’s website passes along, Bateman was on the field Monday for the first day of Baltimore’s OTAs. While the team intends to bring him along the slowly, the wideout will still be attending the optional workouts as he becomes familiar with new OC Todd Monken.

The 2021 first-round pick showed his potential during his rookie campaign. While he missed the first month-plus while recovering from core muscle surgery, he still managed to finish the campaign with 46 receptions for 515 yards and one touchdown. He increased his yards-per-catch average through his first six games in 2022, collecting 285 receiving yards on 15 catches.

While Bateman hasn’t been able to put together top-end production for an entire season, the Ravens still believe the third-year wideout will be a crucial part of their offense.

“He’s going to be ready to roll stronger than ever, healthier than ever,” coach John Harbaugh said (via Brown). “Rashod’s going to have a great season. I’m a big believer in Rashod Bateman.”

Bateman will see a more crowded depth chart when he returns to the field. The Ravens added Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor before drafting Boston College’s Zay Flowers in the first round of the draft.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/7/22

November 7th, 2022 at 7:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

  • Designated for return: G Shane Lemieux
  • Placed on IR: DT Nicholas Williams

Lemieux has been out since September 2021. A severe knee injury paused Lemieux’s career, sidelining him after he had commandeered a starting job. The Giants drafted Lemieux in the 2020 fifth round and turned to him as a starter for much of his rookie season. But the team’s new regime addressed the interior line extensively this offseason, signing Mark Glowinski and Jon Feliciano before drafting Joshua Ezeudu and Marcus McKethan.

The Giants, however, lost McKethan for the season and are without starting left guard Ben Bredeson. The team having Lemieux and former center starter Nick Gates, who also battled back from a severe injury, back will provide some options for Brian Daboll up front. Bredeson, whom the team placed on IR last week, will be a candidate to be one of Big Blue’s injury activations later this season.

Ravens WR Rashod Bateman To Undergo Season-Ending Surgery

November 3rd, 2022 at 2:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Ravens will be without their No. 1 wide receiver for the rest of the season. Rashod Bateman will undergo surgery to repair a Lisfranc issue, John Harbaugh said Thursday (via ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley, on Twitter).

This foot operation is expected to sideline the second-year receiver for this campaign’s remainder. Bateman had missed Baltimore’s Week 5 and Week 6 games, before returning to play in the team’s most recent two contests. This will be a tough blow for the AFC North-leading team.

Bateman aggravated his foot injury during the Ravens’ Week 8 win over the Buccaneers. This setback was only supposed to cost him multiple games; an IR stay was not yet certain prior to today. Instead, an already-thin Ravens receiving corps will need to get by without the player drafted to be its anchor.

Baltimore played without Bateman for five games to start the 2021 season, after the Minnesota product suffered a groin injury during training camp. But the 2021 first-round pick still re-emerged as a key target down the stretch for Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley. Bateman caught 46 passes for 585 yards and a touchdown. He already has two scores this season and has far exceeded his rookie-year yards-per-catch figure, but the 19-yard number will end up being final.

While Bateman still stands to be a big part of the Ravens’ long-term future, he will end this season with 18 career missed games. The Ravens moved to draft Bateman 27th overall last year, prioritizing him over an outside linebacker need. Baltimore had both Gregory Rousseau and Odafe Oweh rated closely that year, so the team preferred Bateman’s value with its initial first-round pick and ended up with Oweh — who went one spot after Rousseau — three spots later.

The Ravens resisted calls to augment their receiver situation this offseason, going into the year with Bateman and Devin Duvernay as their top targets. None of Baltimore’s auxiliary presences have made much of an impact thus far, leading the team to sign DeSean Jackson. The historically productive deep threat has battled extensive injury troubles in the recent past as well, but he bounced back with a solid health stretch last year. Jackson, 35, will likely make his Ravens debut Monday night against the Saints.

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