The Baltimore Ravens saw rookie wide receiver go down with a non-contact injury in practice this week. He was going one-on-one with cornerback Marcus Peters, and the wideout fell to the ground and had to be helped to the sideline.
It was revealed that Bateman was going to be out for multiple weeks by head coach John Harbaugh, who one day later broke the news that the first-round receiver was going to have surgery, saying that it would keep him out until sometime in September.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported that Bateman had core-muscle surgery on Friday, saying that all went well.
#Ravens WR Rashod Bateman had core-muscle surgery today with Dr. William Meyers in Philadelphia and all went well, per source. Coach John Harbaugh said the team hopes Bateman makes it back sometime in September.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 13, 2021
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN provided even more details, reporting an initial timeline that could be used.
Ravens WR Rashod Bateman, who on Friday had core-muscle surgery, is working with a rough six-to-eight-week timeframe of recovery, per source, as that’s considered typical for his injury. Ravens expect him back in September, so he’d need to be on earlier side of that to make it.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) August 14, 2021
Six weeks from the day of his surgery would put him back on the field just before Baltimore’s Week 3 matchup with the Detroit Lions, while an eight week recovery would have him available just before the Ravens’ Week 5 primetime game against the Colts.
With Harbaugh’s comments about Bateman returning in September, it seems that the receiver could return during the late part of the month with this new timeline. On top of that, the team might decide to take the cautious approach with their rookie in order to not risk reinjury, so there’s a scenario where he returns later than initially predicted by the head coach.
The number one priority for Baltimore is Bateman’s health. If they have to wait a few more weeks than anticipated to see their first-round pick return to the field, they should let him heal and get 100% past his injury. The Ravens will miss Bateman on the field for the first few games of their 2021 season, but they have the depth to survive his absence.
