The Baltimore Ravens saw one of their 2021 first-round picks go down with a non-contact injury on Tuesday in wide receiver Rashod Bateman. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported that Bateman was week-to-week with a groin injury.
After Wednesday’s practice, head coach John Harbaugh provided an update on Bateman’s status himself, saying that the wideout will miss a number of weeks with what he described as a soft-tissue leg issue.
Coach Harbaugh with an update on Rashod Bateman: pic.twitter.com/AHN0mpPqyc
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 11, 2021
Losing Bateman is a tough blow to Baltimore, as they were hoping to see him continue to grow with reps both in practice and in the preseason. Now that he’s sidelined for a number of weeks, he might not even be ready to start the regular season, which would make the Ravens rely on some of their other wide receivers that they trust.
At this point, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Baltimore hold Bateman out for the entirety of the preseason, even if he’s ready to come back and play at any point. The rookie had been dealing with muscle tightness before his latest injury, so it makes sense that the Ravens would want to use the cautious approach and make sure Bateman can come back at full strength without any risk for reinjury by being rushed back too soon.
