Ravens HC Gives Update on Injured WR

How Did Rashod Bateman Suffer This Injury?

Bateman caught a pass from Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson in the third quarter, getting close to the goal line on a 10-yard connection.

Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers made a hip drop tackle, normally a penalty, but the referees issued no flag. Bateman told Kimberly A. Martin of ESPN that this is where he suffered his high-ankle sprain.

Bateman finished this game with that one catch for 10 yards in the victory, the third straight victory for the Ravens.

What Makes Hip Drop Tackles Dangerous?

The hip drop tackle usually occurs when a defensive player grabs the hips of an offensive player, rotates their hips and drops onto the offensive player's legs.

The NFL banned the hip drop tackle ahead of the 2024 season, as they discovered that this technique causes a 20% increase in lower body injuries, compared to regular tackles. This research came as the NFL looked at 20,000 tackles over the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

NFL referees, when flagging a hip drop tackle, will give a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down to the other team.

Injury History for Rashod Bateman

Bateman has dealt with injuries before, as he missed 17 of the 51 games the Ravens played in his first three seasons.

He joined the Ravens in 2021, as they took him with the 27th overall pick out of Minnesota in the first round of the NFL Draft. He then missed the first five games of the season, after he underwent groin surgery, before playing the final 12 contests.

Bateman then only played in six games in the 2022 season, after he needed season-ending foot surgery in early November.

Who Replaces Bateman on the Ravens

The Ravens will hope that Bateman is ready for their Week 11 road matchup with the Cleveland Browns, but they have other options if he can't play.

13-year NFL veteran Deandre Hopkins is the most likely replacement, but the Ravens also have Tylan Wallace, LaJohntay Wester and Devontez Walker as the four other backup wideouts on the 53-man roster.