(Updated: 5:45 p.m.)
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman left Tuesday’s practice with what appeared to be an upper leg injury, continuing a frustrating start to training camp for the 2021 first-round pick.
Competing in a one-on-one drill against starting cornerback Marcus Peters early in the workout, Bateman pulled up while making a cut and fell to the ground. He needed assistance from Peters and head athletic trainer Ron Medlin to make it to the sideline before limping inside the team’s training facility a few minutes later.
Not scheduled for a post-practice media session on Tuesday, head coach John Harbaugh was not available to provide any details on Bateman’s condition, but the training staff appeared to be looking at the groin and upper leg area before the 6-foot-1, 193-pound receiver left the field. An NFL Network report later confirmed it was a groin injury that could leave Bateman “week to week” with the season opener just over a month away. The rookie had already missed three full practices — including workouts last Friday and Saturday — and been limited in other workouts since appearing to tweak something late in the practice at M&T Bank Stadium on July 31.
“Bateman had some muscle tightness that hopefully it’s not anything serious,” said Harbaugh about Bateman’s first missed practice on Aug. 2. “Hopefully, [it’s] training camp tightness, but we’ll see how that works out.”
The 27th overall pick of April’s draft, Bateman has flashed the potential to be a high-impact NFL receiver when healthy, even beating Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey for a highlight touchdown catch in the aforementioned stadium practice. However, Bateman’s durability has come into question after the former University of Minnesota star also missed time with unspecified “muscle soreness” during spring workouts.
Bateman’s exit continued a run of injuries at the wide receiver position that was a focal point of the offseason with the Ravens also signing veteran Sammy Watkins and drafting Tylan Wallace in the fourth round. Top wideout Marquise Brown logged only one full practice in camp before sustaining a hamstring injury, but the 2019 first-round pick has been working out on a side field in recent days and appears to be close to returning. Baltimore has also been without 2019 third-round pick Miles Boykin, who injured his hamstring on Aug. 2. Third-year wide receiver Deon Cain also missed the last two workouts with an undisclosed ailment.
Those absences and star quarterback Lamar Jackson’s COVID-19 infection at the start of camp have stunted the summer progress of an offense that finished 18th in yards per passing attempt, 32nd in passing yards per game, and 17th in Football Outsiders’ passing efficiency metric. Three projected members of the starting offensive line — center Bradley Bozeman, right guard Kevin Zeitler (foot), and left tackle Ronnie Stanley (ankle) — were also absent from Tuesday’s practice, and tight end Nick Boyle (knee) remains on the active physically unable to perform list.
