Ravens Coach John Harbaugh Speaks on Rashod Bateman Take on Lamar Jackson Controversy
PHOENIX - The Baltimore Ravens' offseason has seen no shortage of drama, and amid the uncertainty surrounding quarterback Lamar Jackson's status, receiver Rashod Bateman added his name to the conversation. ... with coach John Harbaugh now taking a moment here at the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix to try to patch things up.
It started with Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta's NFL Combine comments about drafting receivers, which has been a common criticism of his tenure.
"If I had an answer, that would probably mean I would have some better receivers," DeCosta said.
Bateman, a first-round pick in 2021, took this as a slight and expressed his personal feelings as to where the responsibility falls in a since-deleted tweet.
"How bout you play to your player's strength and & stop pointing the finger at us and No. 8, ..." Bateman said. "Blame the one you let do this. ... we take heat 24/7 & keep us healthy ... care about US & see what happens. ... ain't no promises tho ... tired of y'all lyin and capn on players for no reason."
After an injury-riddled second season, Bateman's direction with the Ravens was unclear - and tension certainly seemed to have boiled over with the front office and coaching staff.
Harbaugh has offered an update on the situation ... and brought positive news to Bateman's relationship with the team.
"I had a great conversation with Rashod about that, a little bit about that and a lot about other things," Harbaugh said. "That's a private kind of conversation. He's in a great place with everything. He talked to Eric also.
"It's all good."
Bateman has played in 18 games across two seasons, hauling in 61 passes for 800 yards and three touchdowns. This past year, the former Minnesota Golden Gopher logged 15 receptions for 285 yards and two scores while seeing time in six games.
Now, with frustration eased, the question surrounding Bateman shifts to his health, as he missed the final nine contests after undergoing surgery for a Lisfranc injury.
And according to Harbaugh, all injury news on Bateman is positive, as well.
"He's healthy," Harbaugh said. "He's going to be running in three weeks. He's going to be ready to roll stronger than ever, healthier than ever. Rashod's going to have a great season. I'm a big believer in Rashod Bateman. He's going to come back ready to roll."
Filled with confidence in Bateman, the Ravens will now hope to similarly repair their relationship with Jackson ... and have the former MVP be a driving force behind Bateman's expected third-year breakout.
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