Tag: James Proche

John Harbaugh says that WR Rashod Bateman is ‘as advertised’

The Baltimore Ravens drafted Rashod Bateman with the 27th pick in the 2021 draft. John Harbaugh said Bateman has been “as advertised”

The Baltimore Ravens drafted wide receiver Rashod Bateman in the first round with the 27th overall pick in the 2021 draft. He is one of the latest additions to Baltimore’s very deep wide receiver room, and should get an ample amount of opportunities to prove himself.

Bateman has been getting his feet under him at the Ravens’ rookie minicamp, and when asked about what he’s brought to the table so far, Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh said that the former University of Minnesota pass catcher has been “as advertised”.

Bateman has all of the ability in the world to turn into a star with the Ravens. He is a crisp route runner, has great hands, and can make contested catches look routine. Baltimore will most likely utilize Bateman all over the field, but primarily have him stay on the outside since players like Marquise Brown, Devin Duvernay and even James Proche will be battling for slot snaps. The more practice time he gets in with his new team the better, as he continues to get acclimated with the NFL game.

Is Rashod Bateman the Ravens’ true No. 1 wide receiver?

The Baltimore Ravens selected Rashod Bateman with the 27th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. Is he the No. 1 receiver in Baltimore?

The Baltimore Ravens selected wide receiver Rashod Bateman with the 27th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. He was a player who had been highly touted throughout the pre-draft process by many Ravens fans, and the team made the decision to draft him and make him one of the newest weapons for quarterback Lamar Jackson. However, could he be the true No. 1 wide receiver that the organization has been looking for?

Bateman is listed at 6-foot-1 and weighs 193 pounds, but plays extremely physical. He’s able to go up and get the football with ease while also coming down with plenty of contested catches. Baltimore needed a pass catcher who wasn’t afraid to get physical at the point of attack, and Bateman certainly does that well.

He isn’t just a receiver with reliable hands, however. Bateman is also an extremely sharp route runner, cutting on a dime and freezing defenders in their tracks as he looks to get open. He’s a very polished receiver who does a bit of everything well. While he won’t blow anyone away with blazing speed, he’s fast enough to cause problems for opposing defenses.

His skillset is exactly what the Ravens needed. Baltimore already has plenty of slot options in Marquise Brown, Devin Duvernay and James Proche, so Bateman will most likely be playing on the outside more than moving inside. That should give him plenty of opportunities, especially in his rookie year, to learn, grow, and develop into the player that he and the Ravens want him to become.

Bateman certainly has what it takes to develop into a true No. 1 receiver for Baltimore. However, for right now, that honor still belongs to Brown, who has developed into a very solid pass catcher for the Ravens. Until Bateman earns the title, Brown is still the No. 1 receiver in Baltimore, although Bateman has all of the potential in the world to become one of the best wideouts in the NFL and the true No. 1 wide receiver that the Ravens have been missing for years now.

How much will Ravens’ rookie WRs contribute in 2021?

The Baltimore Ravens drafted two pass catchers during the 2021 draft in Rashod Bateman and Tylan Wallace. How much will they contribute?

The Baltimore Ravens drafted two phenominal wide receivers in Rashod Bateman and Tylan Wallace. The team spend a first-round pick and a fourth-round pick respectively on the two, so they will most likely look for the pair to contribute in some way during the 2021 season. However, it’s fair to ask just how much both will see the field in their rookie seasons.

It’s rather safe to say that Bateman will be asked to do more than Wallace on day one. There’s a reason that Baltimore spent the 27th overall selection on Bateman, and he should see immediate snaps in the Ravens’ offense. He will most likely see the majority of his snaps on the outside, as Baltimore already has plenty of slot options on their roster and Bateman can be extremely physical and aggressive while catching the football. He will also probably be asked to use his sharp route running to get open over the middle of the field, where quarterback Lamar Jackson has favored throwing the football so far during his young career.

For Wallace, his situation is a bit different. There will certainly be times where he’ll be on the field and contributing, but his playing time might be a bit harder to come by. The Ravens now have an extremely deep group at wide receiver, and although Wallace projects as an outside threat, he’ll be competing with the likes of Bateman, Sammy Watkins, and even potentially Marquise Brown and Miles Boykin for those snaps.

There’s no doubt that Wallace has the ability to step up and make an impact if a receiver goes down with an injury, but Baltimore seemingly favors veterans over rookies unless there’s a major hole or they were a high draft selection, so in his first year Wallace might be overlooked at times for other players. Even Devin Duvernay or James Proche could get snaps over him due to seniority, although both of them project as slot players, not outside receivers.

All in all, the Ravens selected two very talented pass catchers who should be a big part of what the organization does on offense for a very long time. However during their rookie seasons, they could be left on the sideline in some situations in favor of veterans. That’s not to say either can’t make a huge impact, and while Bateman will probably see more action out of the gate than Wallace, both will have roles that they can fill nicely.

Grading the Ravens’ selection of Rashod Bateman

The Baltimore Ravens selected Rashod Bateman with the 27th overall pick. Was he the right selection for the team?

The Baltimore Ravens selected Minnesota wide receiver Rashod Bateman with the 27th pick in the 2021 NFL draft. It was a decision that surprised some, as Baltimore signed Sammy Watkins during free agency and had holes in other areas including edge and offensive line. However, the team also had a glaring need for another playmaker at receiver, even with the addition of Watkins.

Bateman brings everything that the Ravens need to the table. He stands at 6-foot-1 and weighs 190 pounds, making him a versatile option. However, when talking about where he’ll be utilized in Baltimore’s offense, it will most likely be on the outside as opposed to inside, as the Ravens already have plenty of quality slot options in Marquise Brown, Devin Duvernay, and James Proche.

The former Golden Gopher is a technician as a route runner, has great stop-start ability, and can cut on a dime. He’s explosive out of his stance and can accelerate well at the snap. Bateman won’t impress anyone with elite speed, but has enough wiggle to him where doesn’t need to be blazing fast.

The Ravens picked a player who can make an immediate impact in their offense and has the potential to become a true No. 1 receiver for quarterback Lamar Jackson to throw to. He’s physical, can make contested catches, and can play all over the field, which are all things that Baltimore needed when looking at adding another wide receiver to their roster.

Grade: A

Ravens Draft Prospect Profile: Kadarius Toney

The Baltimore Ravens have plenty of young receivers on their roster. They could look to add Kadarius Toney to the mix

The Baltimore Ravens currently have plenty of talented young receivers on their roster. Marquise Brown, Miles Boykin, Devin Duvernay, and James Proche will be looking to continue to prove themselves, especially with some of them expected to take on much larger roles. However, Baltimore could look to add another young receiver to that group.

Kadarius Toney would be an enticing option for the Ravens’ offense. In his four years at the University of Florida, Toney accumulated 1,590 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns, with 984 yards and 10 scores in 2020. He also put up 580 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns, showing that he’s a versatile threat in multiple facets of the offense. He was also a star quarterback in high school, so if selected by Baltimore, he could be in the middle of some exciting trick plays.

Toney is absolutely electric in the open field. When he gets the ball in his hands he’s a huge hassle to bring down, as he can run past defenders with his speed, create space for himself with his agility, or even outmuscle them with his underrated physicality.

Toney is going to be a playmaker somewhere in the NFL. However, some people are concerned about a potential fit with the Ravens because of his size. Toney stands at 5-foot-11 and weighs 189 pounds, which is similar to the build of Brown, who already has scored 15 touchdowns in his first two years in a Baltimore uniform. While Brown’s success as a smaller receiver in the Ravens’ offense is promising for a player like Toney, some think he’s just too similar to Brown to justify picking him in the first round, where he’s projected to be selected.

The former Gator has a little bit of work to do as a route-runner, but there’s no doubt that defenses have to account for him on every single play due to his game breaking ability. No matter how tall a player is, talent is talent, and Toney would make Baltimore’s offense better in multiple different ways.

How did Ravens acquire each of their 2021 draft picks?

The Baltimore Ravens were busy throughout the past year making trades and acquiring assets. How did they get the picks they currently have?

The Baltimore Ravens have done plenty of wheeling and dealing over the course of the past year. They’ve packaged draft selections for players, traded their own players for picks, and have now put together what should be a final board of selections as they head into the 2021 NFL Draft. That board can change throughout the three days of the draft, but it should stay as-is leading into the festivities.

With the draft being so close to beginning, it’s interesting to look back on how Baltimore put together their current arsenal of picks. Here are the original selections that the team would have had if they didn’t make any moves.

Round: Pick:
Round 1 No. 27
Round 2 No. 58
Round 3 No. 90
Round 4 No. 131
Round 5 No. 171
Round 6 No. 210
Round 7 No. 254

Out of their original picks, the Ravens still own four of them in No. 27, No. 131, No. 171, and No. 210. Baltimore traded No. 58, No. 90, and No. 254 away in separate deals.

Pick: Traded away:
No. 58 With Orlando Brown Jr.
No. 90 For Yannick Ngakoue
No. 254 With Chris Wormley

Despite trading away a few 2021 picks, the team made sure to grab plenty of others, as they now have the rights to No. 31, No. 94, No. 104, No. 136, and No. 184. Here’s how the team acquired each of those selections.

Pick: Acquired:
No. 31 For Orlando Brown Jr.
No. 94 For Orlando Brown Jr.
No. 104 For David Culley
No. 136 For Orlando Brown Jr.
No. 184 For Michael Pierce

The picks that the team was awarded for both David Culley and Michael Pierce were because of the compensatory pick formula. The Ravens also acquired the 168th selection in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers for defensive lineman Chris Wormley, but traded the rights to the pick during the 2020 draft to trade up and select wide receiver James Proche.

For the Ravens, their final draft chart has value throughout.

Round: Pick:
Round 1 No. 27
Round 1 No. 31
Round 3 No. 94
Round 3 No. 104
Round 4 No. 131
Round 4 No. 136
Round 5 No. 171
Round 5 No. 184
Round 6 No. 210

Baltimore has plenty of selections to play around with during the draft. Eric DeCosta and company will most likely be very active throughout all three days, as they certainly have the ammunition to do so.

Ravens players chime in on new jersey number rule change

The Baltimore Ravens could see a few of their players wearing new jersey numbers in 2021. Who could they be?

The Baltimore Ravens could see a few of their players change numbers this upcoming season. The NFL officially approved a rule proposed by the Kansas City Chiefs that will ease jersey number restrictions throughout the entire NFL, making it so different positions can choose from a much bigger set of numbers.

Plenty of players will be looking to change their numbers. They could choose to go after the number they wore in college or a number that they think suits them better than their current one. A few Baltimore players have already chimed in on the new rule, indicating that they’re excited about the possibility of switching to something different.

DeShon Elliott, who wore No. 4 in college at the University of Texas, said that the current holder of No. 4, Sam Koch, needs a Twitter account so that he can reach out about a potential swap.

After finding out that Koch already has a Twitter, Elliott reached out to him directly, and the punter responded.

Patrick Queen also took to Twitter to see if Lamar Jackson, the current holder of his college number, would be willing to part with No. 8 for a bit of cash.

Queen then indicated that he wasn’t being serious about the inquiry, as prying No. 8 from Jackson would be no easy task.

Marlon Humphrey, who has gone through a number switch himself, showed support for his defensive teammates, indicating that he is behind both Elliott and Queen in their quest for a new jersey.

Other Ravens who could look to update their number include J.K. Dobbins, James Proche, Devin Duvernay and Marquise Brown. Over the coming weeks and months, there should be plenty of players across the league donning new jerseys. A few of them might be from Baltimore.

Ravens Draft Prospect Profile: Rashod Bateman

The Baltimore Ravens could look to draft a receiver in the first round. Rashod Bateman is a great prospect who would make the Ravens better

It’s no secret that the Baltimore Ravens have been looking for wide receiver help during the 2021 offseason. They were reported to be interested in both JuJu Smith-Schuster and T.Y. Hilton, but weren’t able to agree to terms with either. They then went out and signed former Kansas City Chiefs receiver Sammy Watkins, who should help on the outside along with bringing a veteran presence to the team.

Although adding Watkins is a great start, he most likely isn’t the singular missing piece that the team needs to compete for a Super Bowl. Baltimore will probably look to the draft to add another playmaker at wide receiver, and there are plenty available in the 2021 draft class that could make an immediate impact in a Ravens uniform.

One receiver that many have been clamoring for Baltimore to draft is Rashod Bateman. The University of Minnesota product was an extremely productive player during his three years for the Golden Gophers, catching 147 passes for 2,395 yards and 19 touchdowns, averaging 16.3 yards per catch. He was also extremely consistent, averaging 77.2 receiving yards per game across the 31 contests that he played in.

From a skillset perspective, Bateman brings exactly what the Ravens need. He’s a tactician as a route runner, dangerous in space, and excels at catching contested footballs. Baltimore needs a physical receiver, and Bateman would certainly bring that to their offense as well as shiftiness in the open field.

Listed at 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, Bateman is a bigger receiver who uses his size to his advantage. While he isn’t a speed demon, he still plays extremely fast within the flow of the game. He displays a good first step, and is someone that does everything well. He is a well-rounded prospect who will be a fantastic pick for any team that selects him.

The Ravens currently have plenty of receives on their roster who should be able to make an impact in 2021 between Watkins, Marquise Brown, Devin Duvernay and more. However, adding someone like Bateman would immediately make Baltimore’s offense better, as he would provide them with an outside threat while Brown, Duvernay, and even James Proche operate out of the slot. He would instantly give Lamar Jackson another dangerous weapon who can be used all around the football field.

There’s no guarantee that Bateman makes it to the Ravens’ first round selection, which is currently slated to be the 27th overall pick. If they decide to make a draft night move, Baltimore could look to trade up for him if they believe he’ll get taken before they are able to pick. If they can somehow get Bateman in black and purple, the Ravens’ offense would truly become a force to be reckoned with, not just because of their running game, but also because of their passing game.

Ravens activate Marquise Brown, 2 other receivers from Reserve/COVID-19 list

The Ravens will have all their wide receivers available to them in Week 15 against the Jaguars after activating three from the COVID-19 list

The Baltimore Ravens looked to once again be in a dire situation earlier this week after putting three wide receivers, including Marquise Brown, on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. On Saturday — one day before they take on the Jacksonville Jaguars — the Ravens announced wide receiver Brown, Miles Boykin, and James Proche had been activated back off the Reserve/COVID-19 list.

As expected and evidenced from the short time out, the three appear to have been on the list due to being considered “close contacts” after being around a coach who had tested positive. And while they’re eligible to play, the lack of practice time for the trio puts a question mark on if they actually will play. But with Baltimore needing to win games to get into the playoffs and having so little wide receiver depth behind Brown and Boykin, the Ravens might not have much of a choice but to put them on the field.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson would probably like to have Brown back out on the field after he made a clutch catch in last week’s win over the Cleveland Browns. While Brown hasn’t been nearly as good as advertised this season, he remains Jackson’s most-targeted player by a wide margin.

[vertical-gallery id=56435]

Ravens place WRs Marquise Brown, Miles Boykin, James Proche on Reserve/COVID-19 list

The Baltimore Ravens added three of their wide receivers to the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Wednesday, including Marquise Brown.

[jwplayer ahNnU1B9-ThvAeFxT]

The Baltimore Ravens can’t seem to catch much of a break this season. Though it appeared the Ravens were finally finished with their COVID-19 outbreak, the list is once again growing. Baltimore announced it has placed wide receiver Marquise Brown, Miles Boykin, and James Proche on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.

Per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, all three players are considered to be “close contact” with a coach that tested positive. The contact came on Monday, per Zrebiec, which would mean all three players could be eligible to play Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars as long as they don’t show symptoms or test positive themselves.

The difference in the two designations means a big difference in the minimum amount of time a player is held out per the NFL’s protocols. A positive test requires a player to be held out a minimum of 10 days or a certain number of positive tests while a “close contact” is held out for a minimum of five days.

It’s a potentially big blow to Baltimore’s offense. If all three players end up missing Sunday’s game, that would leave the Ravens with just four wide receivers available on the 53-man roster. Though that would mean guys like Dez Bryant and Devin Duvernay would have a more prominent role on the offense, it would give Baltimore next to no depth at the position.

The Ravens had found some rhythm Monday night against the Cleveland Browns, beating their division rival 47-42. Brown, especially, had an up-and-down evening, dropping several passes before catching a 44-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Lamar Jackson that put Baltimore right back into the game. But for his inconsistencies, Brown has big-play potential defenses have to take into account each game. Taking that away would dramatically alter how the Jaguars’ defense plays the Ravens’ offense, potentially causing the rushing game to stagnate with more of a focus on it.

[vertical-gallery id=56435]