ExtremeRavens Posted yesterday at 08:01 PM Posted yesterday at 08:01 PM Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman sustained a high-ankle sprain to his right ankle, coach John Harbaugh said during his Monday news conference. He did not have a definitive answer for what the timeline to return might look like but said, “I think he’s going to be OK.” Bateman was seen wearing a boot in the visiting locker room after Baltimore’s 27-19 road win over the Vikings. He told ESPN’s Kimberley Martin that it happened midway through the third quarter. Bateman curled back toward the ball, jetted inside and made a diving effort toward the goal line before Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers yanked him to the turf. Bateman told Martin he “doesn’t expect to miss too much time” and was surprised Rodgers wasn’t flagged. Asked about the play, Harbaugh laughed, “What is a hip-drop tackle? It’s an enigma, apparently, that can’t be called during the game.” The longtime coach said he thought, “based on the definition,” Rodgers should have been flagged for a hip-drop tackle, the recently banned technique that results in a 15-yard penalty and possible fine. Harbaugh turned to a public relations spokesperson and asked, “Am I gonna get in trouble for saying that?” Teammates pulled Bateman right to his feet and he took a few steps without any noticeable limp. He played through any pain, later catching a 2-point conversion pass — his only other reception in the win — that extended Baltimore’s fourth-quarter lead to two scores. Bateman hasn’t had the encore to his breakout 2024 that some may have projected. The fifth-year wideout who signed a three-year extension this past summer has only 16 catches on 31 targets with two touchdowns. Bateman’s target share is less than half of Zay Flowers’, and his receiving yards rank fourth in Baltimore’s offense. That’s after posting career marks last season: 756 yards and nine touchdowns on 72 targets. Still, he’s a proven commodity in a you-never-know-who passing attack, and the shaky Ravens offense needs all the help they can get in this slow climb back to playoff contention. Veteran receiver DeAndre Hopkins could see an uptick in targets if Bateman is to miss any time, or one of the tight ends who have gotten more involved in recent weeks. Injury luck is a fleeting abstract in the NFL. After maintaining a nearly spotless injury report last week, the Ravens are now without Bateman in the short term. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey is also dealing with a finger injury. He played through it, logged his first interception of the season and took to his postgame Instagram Live all with a wrap around his hand. Humphrey could opt to play through the injury, although there’s a chance it will require surgery that could sideline him for a game or two, according to Harbaugh. Undrafted rookie Jay Higgins IV also appeared to suffer an injury on a special teams play in Sunday’s win. Higgins was seen wearing a significant brace on his right leg in the postgame locker room. Harbaugh said that Higgins’ unspecified injury would hold the linebacker out for “a few weeks.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. View the full article Quote
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