Rashod Bateman Dealing With Dropped Passes for Ravens

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver still looking to get into full rhythm.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman is tied with Brandin Cooks and Jaylen Waddle for the league lead in dropped passes with five, according to Pro Football Focus. 

However, Bateman has a drop rate of 25.8 percent, compared to 15.2 percent for Cooks and 12.8 percent for Waddle. Bateman also missed two games because of a foot injury.

The dropped passes are a subjective stat, but the issue began to surface in training camp.

Bateman had made several key plays this season, including a 75-yard touchdown reception against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2. 

On the season, Bateman is third on the team with 27 targets, 15 receptions, 285 yards and two touchdowns. 

Bateman entered the year as the team's No. 1 wide receiver but he has been outplayed by teammate Devin Duvernay, who has 28 targets, 20 receptions, 282 yards and three touchdowns.

@Ravens QB Lamar Jackson was flattered when Tom Brady posted on Instagram, “You’re Next” in reference to his pending retirement, which never happened.
However, Jackson is focused on winning and not facing "The G.O.A.T."#RavensFlock https://t.co/05HjoEwzrB via @toddkarpovich

— Todd Karpovich (@toddkarpovich) October 25, 2022

Mark Andrews, who is the team's top pass catcher, has also uncharacteristically struggled with drops. He is tied for the league lead with six other tight ends with three dropped passes, according to Pro Football Focus.  Andrews has been targeted 59 times and has 39 receptions for 455 yards with five touchdowns. 

Quarterback Lamar Jackson has not been visibly frustrated by the apparent dropped passes and often just gets mad at himself for a missed opportunity. Jackson is ranked 19th in the NFL with 197 pass attempts. He has thrown for 1,397 yards with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions. Jackson also leads the team with 510 yards rushing.

Jackson is confident the team is moving in the right direction.

"I feel like this whole season we’ve been driving the ball down the field; it’s just been the red zone or a little bit outside the red zone, and we’ve just got to finish there," Jackson said. "But we’re making progress. But like I said yesterday, we don’t want ‘Tuck’ [Justin Tucker] kicking field goals for us and for that to be our points. We want seven points each and every time we’re out there on that field. It’s NFL football, so it might not happen how we want it to, but we’ve just got to keep going.”