The Ravens got some good news with wide receiver Rashod Bateman, who opted to have Lisfranc surgery on his foot in early November and missed the remainder of the season.
Bateman is healing and the Ravens expect him to be back in the lineup. However, this is the second consecutive season that Bateman missed time with an injury when the Ravens were already lacking production from their wide receivers. Bateman has played a total of just 18 games since being selected in the first round of the 2021 draft.
“My understanding is that the screws can come out if it’s the best thing for them to come out,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “I think they will come out, but they don’t have to come out, right? I’m not exactly sure how that works. But the point about Bateman is he’s going to be ready really soon to run full speed. … He’s going to have a great offseason. He’s going to be up and running.”
Even if Bateman is healthy, it’s obvious the Ravens need to upgrade the playmakers at wide receiver. The team didn’t have a wideout in the top 75 for receptions or yards. Baltimore’s wide receivers scored just seven touchdowns in 17 games.
Demarcus Robinson led the wide receivers with 48 receptions for 458 yards and two touchdowns. Devin Duvernay, who was the most talented wide receiver on the roster, also landed on IR with a foot injury, which further hampered the passing game.
The question is whether GM Eric DeCosta will take “more swings” in this year’s NFL draft, land a player via trade or attract a free agent.
Coach John Harbaugh acknowledged after the season that the team needs more talent at the position.
“The one area that needs to be built is the wide receiver room, so that will be a new room, basically,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “There will be pieces of it still there – you know the guys – and then we’ll be adding a lot of pieces to that room, and there [will] be competition, too. So, that’ll be the room that will start together in this new offense, and we’ll build with those guys. So, I think you’re talking about 75% of the offense is intact, and 25% – and it’s all in the same room – will be new, and that’s probably pretty normal.
“But that makes me happy because I feel like we’ve got a lot of guys who know ball and have had a lot of experience here, and that room that you’re talking about – the wide receiver room – can be built up, and those are pieces we can give Lamar [Jackson] and give him a chance to really thrive.”
In addition to the injuries to Bateman and Duvernay, quarterback Lamar Jackson was also sidelined with a knee injury. Jackson’s absence severely hindered the offense and there are questions about whether he will be back with the team next season.
The Ravens are committed to signing Jackson to a long-term deal, but DeCosta said “it takes two to tango,” meaning the quarterback also has to be engaged in contract talks.
On a positive note, the Ravens had only one unmanned player that is going to have an off-season surgery — a record for the team, according to DeCosta.
“Marlon [Humphrey] was in the office today talking about his off-season plans,” Harbaugh said. “All these guys are healthy going into the offseason, which gives them a chance to train from now until then to get ready to go, and that helps your injury outlook going forward, too.”
7 Responses
The Ravens need to upgrade their coaches room!
AMEN TO THAT!! You and I are on the exact same page with this. So tired of hearing how excited Harbaugh is about everything, and how happy he is about this or that, blah blah blah. So many of this team’s ills go back to Harbaugh. How he chooses who plays, how they play etc. And I believe the big issue here is that Bischotti has gotten too close to Harbaugh as friends and that makes it very difficult for him to make a change, which, in my mind , is WAY past due
A fish rots from the head down. But its not happining this year. What really up and coming OC not some coaching carosel guy would want to work with Harbs?
A healthy team is a bright note given the uncertainty the Ravens face, and soon, this off season as the franchise tag window opens February 21. The offensive coordinator position is wide open. What do you do first? Sign Lamar or sign an O.C.?
Well, if you want to upgrade the WRs room that’s fine but what are you doing about upgrading the QB? We don’t have a drop back pocket passer back there. If you want to be a passing team you’ve got to have a QB that can read defenses and connect on downfield throws, outside throws to the sideline. Yes, he’s improved over the years but he still doesn’t have those sideline throws down and he keeps missing a lot of his deep shots that stretch the defense and keep them out of the box.
Easier said than done with just 5 picks , other needs, and limited cap space if we are going to tag LJ
At Louisville he was primarily a pocket passer. That’s probably why he said he didn’t want to run so much.