Baltimore Ravens extend WR Rashod Bateman to contract extension after career-best season

Rashod Bateman is cashing in after a career-best campaign with the Baltimore Ravens in 2024. As per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Ravens have handed the 25-year-old wideout a fresh three-year contract extension.

It's the second straight offseason Baltimore has doubled down on its faith in Bateman. He inked a two-year deal last year, averaging just over $6.4 million per season and keeping him under contract through 2026. But after stepping up as a consistent weapon in the offense, the Ravens have upped the ante.

The new agreement is expected to nearly double his average annual value and solidify his spot as the team's No. 2 receiving option alongside rising star Zay Flowers.

Bateman turned in the finest season of his young NFL career in 2024, suiting up for all 17 regular-season games and setting personal highs with 756 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. As a reliable secondary option in a Baltimore offense that finished third in the league in scoring (30.1 PPG), Bateman carved out a key role behind Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews.

For the Ravens, locking up the 25-year-old with a three-year, $36.75 million extension is a savvy bit of business. When combined with his existing deal, Bateman is now tied to the team through 2029 on a five-year pact worth $47.5 million, averaging out to just $9.5 million per year. That's terrific value for a WR2 who's still developing and just hit his stride.

From Bateman's point of view, it's another deserved raise and his second signing bonus in back-to-back offseasons. Sure, he could've posted flashier numbers in a pass-heavy system with fewer mouths to feed, but that would mean walking away from Lamar Jackson and a Baltimore team that’s always in the title mix. With DeAndre Hopkins now in town, Bateman could see more snaps out of the slot, an opportunity that might allow him to outperform this deal in the coming years. His trajectory is still pointed skyward.

Rashod Bateman locked in a three-year, $36.75 million extension ahead of the 2024 NFL season, and the details, via ESPN's Adam Schefter, highlight just how much faith the Ravens have in their wideout.

Here's the deal at a glance:

Length: 3 years

Total value: $36.75 million

Average per year: $12.25 million

Guaranteed: $20 million

Per Spotrac, Bateman's annual salary slots him 29th among all NFL receivers, a solid spot for a player still trending upward. When you factor in his previous extension, the former Minnesota Golden Gopher is now slated to earn $49.6 million over five seasons, keeping him in Baltimore through the 2029 campaign before hitting the open market in 2030.

For a player still coming into his prime, that's a tidy reward, and a sign the Ravens expect him to be a key piece of their offense for the long haul.

Here's some of the quick reaction from the NFL world on the news:

Bateman will line up in a loaded Baltimore Ravens receiving corps in 2025, joining forces with Zay Flowers, fresh off a Pro Bowl campaign, and veteran star DeAndre Hopkins, a five-time Pro Bowler who inked a deal with the team back in March.

Coming off a strong 12-5 finish in 2024, Baltimore has its sights set on another deep postseason push—and possibly more. With most of the core returning, including Lamar Jackson playing at an MVP level and Derrick Henry powering the ground game, the Ravens look every bit like a contender to repeat as AFC North champs and make serious noise come playoff time. The pieces are all in place.