After Injuries And Uncertainty, Rashod Bateman Feels Free to Flourish

Rashod Bateman’s offseason followed the script of his young NFL career – unexpected.

Speaking for the first time after inking a contract extension this offseason, Bateman said Tuesday that he didn’t even know if he was going to be a Raven anymore. Next thing he knew, he had a multi-year offer in his hands.

“I didn’t know if I was going to be here, [get] traded or anything. That extension definitely came out of nowhere,” Bateman said after Tuesday’s OTAs practice.

“I’m blessed, for sure. I did not see them doing that, but it shows that they believe in my work, my ethic, [and] the team believes in me. I love playing here. I love this organization. I love the fans. I feel like I still have a lot to do, so it was a no-brainer for me, for sure.”

Bateman’s first three NFL seasons have not turned out the way the 2021 first-round pick expected. After a relatively healthy college career, hernia and foot injuries cost him 16 games his first two seasons.

The recovery from foot surgery dragged into last summer and sidelined him for much of training camp, putting Bateman behind in the formation and chemistry of last year’s offense. That played a part in why his opportunities were limited, and the ball didn’t find him as much as Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken has acknowledged it should have.