Ravens secure key weapon as Rashod Bateman signs 3-year extension

The Ravens are betting big on a breakout that's just getting started.

Baltimore has signed wide receiver Rashod Bateman to a three-year, $36.75 million extension that includes $20 million guaranteed, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. The move secures one of Lamar Jackson's top weapons through 2029, and it caps a remarkable comeback story for the former first-rounder.

Bateman's NFL journey has been anything but smooth. He came into the league in 2021 with big expectations but battled through injuries early on, including hernia and foot surgeries that derailed his first two seasons. Last year, he was on a modest two-year deal and didn't even report to training camp on time. There wasn't much noise around his name-until the games started.

From Question Mark to Game-Changer

In 2024, Bateman silenced every doubt. He averaged 16.8 yards per catch-third in the league-and hauled in nine touchdowns. No one else in the NFL combined that level of big-play explosiveness with consistent production. His three touchdown catches of 40 yards or more tied a Ravens record for a single season, and he became Lamar Jackson's go-to deep threat in Todd Monken's revamped offense.

Bateman also played a major role in helping Baltimore finish with the NFL's No. 1 scoring offense. Not bad for a guy who once publicly called out the general manager. (Yes, that happened.)

The now-infamous 2023 moment when Bateman criticized Eric DeCosta's comments about the Ravens' struggles drafting receivers could've soured the relationship. Instead, it sparked a candid conversation, and Bateman later joked the two were "best friends." That moment may have helped fuel what came next: his best season yet.

"I knew what I was capable of,"Bateman said after the extension was announced. "I just needed to be healthy and trusted. Baltimore gave me that."

He may still be WR2 behind Zay Flowers on the depth chart, but Bateman has carved out his own spotlight-and now, he's being paid like it.