It’s a good thing that Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman signed a long-term deal with the team last week because he would otherwise have been dealt major consequences for missing the start of training camp last season.
According to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec, Bateman lost an accrued season on his rookie contract as a consequence of not reporting for training camp on the mandatory report day. As a result, the former 2021 first-round pick would not have been eligible to have the fifth-year option on his contract picked up ahead of the upcoming deadline. He would have become a restricted free agent rather than an unrestricted free agent when his rookie contract expires.
“A bit of context on Bateman deal. He was not eligible for fifth-year option on rookie contract because he’s only been credited with two accrued seasons. That’s a result of him starting last season’s training camp on Did Not Report List,” Zrebiec wrote.
Fortunately, Bateman’s new deal means that he’s going to get his hard-earned money via a different method. His new deal is a three-year $15 million contract extension that runs through the 2026.
Bateman’s contributions have been moderate since over his first three seasons. He’s played in 34 games and has 93 receptions for 1,167 yards and four touchdowns
Fans were quite surprised by this revelation, but it is a rule as agreed upon by the NFL Players Association in the most recent collective bargaining agreement.
Hopefully the punishment that Bateman (almost) received serves as a cautionary tale to the rest of the league so they can avoid similar issues.