Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman is coming off the best season in his four years in the league. After posting 45 receptions for 756 yards and nine touchdowns, he began negotiating his extension with the team.
In June, the Ravens signed him to a three-year, $36.75 million extension that includes $20 million guaranteed. However, Bateman’s return wasn’t always a sure thing, and now he is sharing the details on the trade talks that occurred.
Rashod Bateman Reveals His Near-Trade to the Cowboys, and Loyalty to the Ravens
According to an article by Jeff Zrebiec for The Athletic, Bateman was worried that he might have suited up in purple and black for the last time. Bateman, who was the Ravens’ first-round pick in 2021, wanted a new contract with the team. Eric DeCosta, Baltimore’s general manager, however, wasn’t immediately on board. He wanted to “keep his options open” and explore possible trades.
The most intrigued trade partner was apparently the Dallas Cowboys. Bateman said there was a real possibility that the trade might come to fruition.
“I went through a lot of things with the Cowboys and all of that with my contract,” explained Bateman. “There was a time when I didn’t know what was going to happen. (The Cowboys talks) were a thing, for sure. It was a possibility. I don’t want to deny that. But you know, DeCosta, he’s always making magic work, and he made it work. And I’m thankful for that.”
Anyway, here’s some unrelated Rashod Bateman highlights. pic.twitter.com/4EkA9BDtLo
— Dustin (@_dustincox) June 30, 2025
Bateman reportedly wanted a contract that reflected the numbers he put up in 2024 and aligned him more closely with what his peers are making. He said that if the Ravens weren’t willing to pay him what he was worth, then he would be forced to look to another team, but that wasn’t what he wanted, and he told DeCosta as much.
“That’s the first thing I told him: I don’t want to go anywhere else. ‘I know you’ve got a lot of stuff to work through and we’ll figure it out when we figure it out.’ It took time, but it takes time with a lot of people’s contracts. He had a lot of contracts to get done, and maybe more to get done in the future. To be a priority for him in that way is important. He shows he values me,” Bateman said as he recalled his talks with DeCosta.
Bateman said there is a lot of comfort in returning to Baltimore. He will enter this season without the drama and stress of contract negotiations hanging over his head.
He called the new contract a “blessing,” saying that he truly didn’t want to go anywhere else. Bateman said it makes him see that the team believes in him and has the same respect for him that he has for the franchise.
There is unfinished business, said Bateman, for him, quarterback Lamar Jackson, and the rest of the Ravens. He is ready to get them back to the Super Bowl.