Ravens sign WR Rashod Bateman to extension through 2026 season

Wide receiver Rashod Bateman has signed a three-year contract extension with the Baltimore Ravens.

The Ravens have silenced all talks of trading wide receiver Rashod Bateman and doubts of discrepancy between the two camps.

On the eve of the 2024 NFL Draft, the team announced they’ve signed Bateman to a contract extension through 2026.

“We are pleased to announce that we have extended Rashod Bateman’s contract through the 2026 season,” DeCosta said in a statement. “Congratulations to ‘Bate’ and his family. This is a good day for the Ravens.”

Signing Bateman to a second deal marks the first time in franchise history the team has given a second contract to a first-round wide receiver; Bateman was the sixth first-round wideout picked by the Ravens in team history.

The Ravens have been vocally supportive on Bateman, even after a middling season where he finished with 32 receptions for 367 yards and one touchdown. At the end of season press conference, Head Coach John Harbaugh expressed great positivity on Bateman.

“I want ‘Bate’ to flourish and make a bunch of plays, and he’s going to do that, and I think he’ll be a bigger part of it next year, just by the fact that he was healthy all year this year [and] had a chance to establish himself that way, and he’ll be starting,” Harbaugh said. “He’ll be playing all those snaps, and he’ll rise to the occasion.”

DeCosta said much of the same.

“ I think ‘Bate’ [Rashod Bateman] is going to have a great season… We have a lot of guys that can make plays and, watching Zay this year and just picturing Zay and ‘Bate’ out there next year is very exciting, and we’ll see where that leads,” DeCosta said.

Now, they’ve backed their talk with a payday for Bateman.