Why the Ravens’ Rashod Bateman extension is Eric DeCosta’s latest masterclass in roster management

This team drafts in abundance annually, ensuring they have a plethora of young talent in-house and ready to develop at a drop of a hat. And they let good value dictate where to find and prioritize keeping established talent, just as they did with their second deal with Bateman in as many years. 

Bateman’s three-year, $36.75 million contract extension is good value in and of itself. But with two years remaining on Bateman’s prior deal from last spring, the total terms of Bateman’s control in Baltimore extend a total of five seasons for a total of $47.5 million.

At $9.5 million per season across five years, Bateman’s deal is equivalent to that of a rookie contract all over again. With his emergence as a talent both at the catch point and with the ball in his hands in 2024, it’s hard to believe that a healthy Rashod Bateman won’t exceed the value of that contract. Which is exactly why he’s now set to play with the Ravens through the end of the 2029 season.

DeCosta, like he did with Derrick Henry, is racing against swelling markets, not against the expiration dates of his player’s contracts. Henry, with a year left on his deal, signed a $15 million per year extension while Saquon Barkley was signing for over $20.5 million per year. Was it aided by Henry’s age? Of course. Is it still a surplus value contract? Most definitely. 

Bateman’s deal was a chance to strike before the Ravens could see him turn in another season similar to, or better than, 2024. If a player’s contract is set to expire and the price is too foul for DeCosta to stomach, the young players in the queue are tabbed with stepping up — although not without typically having some time on task in the system first. 

It’s what the team may end up doing with Odafe Oweh. It’s what the team fell into with their decision to move on from Marcus Williams at safety before drafting Malaki Starks. Ar’Darius Washington took over for Geno Stone after Stone was priced out of where the Ravens wanted to go. It’s what the team did with Ben Powers on the offensive line and with developing Broderick Washington behind Calais Campbell.

It’s not always going to go according to plan. But the hard part for Baltimore is already over, as they’ve established a strong nucleus of talent and drafts at a rate to keep the pond stocked. This makes DeCosta’s job easier — it’s simply time to go fishing for plus values on extensions with his own players and secure the surplus values. That’s what he found in Bateman, which is why this deal is now done.