Baltimore Beatdown
The Baltimore Ravens have a checkered past of struggling to find and develop wide receiver talent. In the almost 30-year history of the franchise, the Ravens have only drafted one player (Zay Flowers) at the position who earned a Pro Bowl selection — which didn’t come until last season.
There’s been a large number of swings and misses over the years, whether it be on an early-round prospect or draft picks in the later rounds. They’ve been more successful in signing veterans, often later in their careers, than they have through the draft.
For one reason or another, the Ravens have long struggled to develop wide receivers and keep young wideouts on the roster for extended periods of time. However, in light of Flowers’ recent success and Rashod Bateman signing a new three-year extension with the team on Thursday, the question begs: have the Ravens officially turned a corner?
It might be too early to say for sure still, but one thing is for certain: the Ravens are in the best shape at wide receiver that they’ve been in for quite some time. It’s refreshing for the team to have a pair of young, homegrown wideouts that elicit trust and confidence.
While he’s only entering Year 3, Flowers could be on track to have one of the most successful careers by a Ravens’ wide receiver ever. Through two seasons, he’s caught a combined 151 passes for 1,917 yards and ten total touchdowns. Flowers is one of the shiftiest and most dynamic athletes at the position in the NFL and has likely still yet to even approach his ceiling as a player.
As for Bateman, the story is much different. His career thus far has been a rocky road clouded by injuries. Through his first three seasons, the former No. 27 overall pick missed 16 total games. Even in the stretches where he was active, Bateman was often still working his way back from missed time and struggled to acclimate himself in the offense.
Last season, Bateman finally broke through with a career-best campaign. He finished second on the team in receiving yards (756) and touchdown catches (nine), while averaging 16.8 yards per catch and scoring two more times in the playoffs, too.
While Bateman has not developed into the bona fide No. 1 wide receiver many hoped or anticipated, he’s settled into a No. 2 role and ideal complimentary piece alongside Flowers and the team’s tight ends. Since he entered the league, Bateman has consistently been one of the best wide receivers in the league at creating separation. In 2024, he was one of the most efficient on a per-target basis as well.
Bateman is still just 25 years old and Flowers is 24 years old. You could make an argument they form one of the NFL’s better young wide receiver duos right now, which is not a conversation the Ravens have almost ever been included in.
The Ravens have a long way to go in order to make up...
