Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman scores a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals. Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

Ravens Shouldn't Entertain Trade Offers For Rising WR

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Jon Alfano | Last updated May 11, 2025 7:00 AM ET

After years of struggling to put together a quality wide receiver room around Lamar Jackson, the Baltimore Ravens have finally done so.

There's Zay Flowers, who is coming off a 1,000-yard season and became the Ravens' first Pro Bowl receiver in franchise history (not including return specialists). There's Rashod Bateman, who broke out last season with nine touchdowns after only scoring four touchdowns in his first three years. Then there's the new addition in DeAndre Hopkins, who may be in the later stages of his career at 32 years old, but is absolutely still capable of doing some damage.

These three players should make up the Ravens' primary receiving trio for 2025 and possibly beyond, but it seems other teams had a different idea.

On Friday, Fox Sports insider Jordan Schultz reported that the Dallas Cowboys looked into a trade for Bateman earlier this offseason, but those talks "didn't get very far." The Cowboys instead acquired George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers, finding a new No. 2 wide receiver to pair with CeeDee Lamb while also weakening the Ravens' biggest rival.

Sources: During their pursuit of a receiver, the #Cowboys also looked into a trade for #Ravens WR Rashod Bateman. Those talks didn’t go far, and Dallas ultimately struck a post-draft deal with the #Steelers for George Pickens.

Dallas’ search for another receiver was a… pic.twitter.com/87QX5rIqcq
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) May 9, 2025

It's a good thing that the talks with Dallas didn't get very far, because there is no reason why Baltimore should consider trading Bateman any time soon.

Yes, the 2021 first-round pick from Minnesota had a slow start to his career, catching just 93 passes for 1,167 yards and four touchdowns over his first three seasons. The important part is that he's here now, though, and with 45 receptions for 756 yards and nine touchdowns last season, he's an excellent fit as a No. 2 receiver in Baltimore's offense.

Additionally, the Ravens have Bateman on a very team-friendly deal. Last offseason, the 25-year-old signed a two-year, $12.9 million extension to keep him in Baltimore through the 2026 season, which many questioned at the time, but now looks like a bargain. He currently ranks 45th among receivers in terms of average value, which is more than fair given his production, and will look even better if he continues to improve.

The Ravens shutting down the Cowboys' trade offer is a good sign, because if another team comes calling, they should do the exact same thing.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Ravens on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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