Rashod Bateman is the Ravens’ No. 1 large receiver, however now he has to show he’s among the best within the NFL.
Top receivers on this league are dependable pass-catchers who also can make huge performs on the skin. They make even larger gamers contained in the purple zone and trigger opposing defensive coordinators to remain up all week eager about how you can cease them.
Bateman, the workforce’s prime draft select of Minnesota a yr in the past, had rookie season, however few of the league’s shutdown cornerbacks are afraid of him.
Maybe 2022 is his breakout yr.
“I think Rashod can have a big jump, and the fact that he’s going to go through training camp should be a big help to him,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh stated.
All nice quarterbacks have nice receivers. Joe Montana and Steve Young had Jerry Rice and Peyton Manning had Marvin Harrison.
Neither Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson nor Bateman have reached that standing, which is why the workforce wants the second-year receiver to enhance. As a rookie, Bateman had 46 catches for 515 yards and a landing regardless of lacking a few weeks of coaching camp and the primary 5 video games of the season with a groin harm.
Jackson has by no means really had a No. 1 receiver or anybody close to that class in Baltimore. The closest was Marquise Brown, who was traded to the Arizona Cardinals on the primary evening of April’s draft after 4 up-and-down seasons.
But if Bateman can fill that position, he’ll take quite a lot of stress off of Jackson and tight finish Mark Andrews, the highest pass-catcher from a yr in the past with 107 catches for 1,361 yards and 9 touchdowns.
“I’m really excited to get some good battles in with Bateman,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey stated. “I do know what he can do on the sphere. I do know he hasn’t proven it but, however anybody round right here within the constructing has seen what he can do.
“I think him being that No. 1 guy, I think he’ll lead the guys well.”
Bateman has all of the instruments, which is why the Ravens made him the No. 27 total choose within the 2021 draft. At Minnesota, he completed his profession with 147 receptions for two,395 yards and 19 touchdowns. He is sufficiently big (6 ft 1, 193 kilos) to run by press protection and protect defenders away from the ball.
There have been some issues about his velocity, however to this point no cornerback has caught Bateman from behind as soon as he hits full stride. He has sufficient quickness to get separation and might need the very best arms on the workforce after fellow receiver James Proche II.
There are occasions in observe when it’s simple to grasp why the Ravens valued him a lot. But there are additionally events when he has dropped simple passes, and it brings again reminiscences of different previous disappointments on the place resembling Travis Taylor, Mark Clayton, Breshad Perriman and, even to some extent, Brown.
But the Ravens seem dedicated to Bateman and different younger receivers resembling Proche and Devin Duvernay. In the previous couple of years, the workforce has signed veteran receivers who have been previous their primes resembling Dez Bryant and Sammy Watkins, they usually have contributed little or no.
That may nonetheless occur this yr, however it seems that normal supervisor Eric DeCosta desires to seek out out if these younger guys can play earlier than the Ravens hit the free-agent market once more.
Bateman likes the chance.
“It shows that the coaches trust us, trust our abilities, trust our work and they trust what we’ve done and what they’ve seen,” Bateman stated. “We definitely look forward to showcasing that — to keep showcasing that — and to show our team that we can do what we need to do. I think that we’re all just excited to play right now.”
Training camp is barely two days outdated, however Bateman likes what he sees from Jackson, who has added extra muscle to his higher physique.
“I would say that he’s better all-around this year,” Bateman stated of the 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player, who’s coming into the ultimate yr of his rookie contract. “I feel like all of us are. We all took this offseason pretty seriously, like I said, because we’re hungry, and we’re ready for more. So, I’m excited to see what he does.”
Bateman additionally likes going towards Humphrey and fellow cornerback Marcus Peters. They can solely make him higher.
“Marlon is a phenomenal player,” Bateman stated. “He definitely makes our team better. He’s an incredible leader. So, I definitely look forward to going against him throughout training camp.”
The Ravens are saying the identical factor about Bateman, who has to show he’s a real No. 1.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com