Will Rashod Bateman give Ravens a Justin Jefferson-like impact?

Rashod Bateman comes to the Baltimore Ravens with the opportunity to not only rejuvenate the offense but also put up immediate big numbers.

Sitting with two first-round picks in the 2021 NFL Draft — even if both were after the No. 25 pick — the Baltimore Ravens had a number of options but it seemed clear that wide receiver was definitely on the table. And it just so happened that, in a deep class at the position, an instant-impact player in Minnesota’s Rashod Bateman fell in their laps.

Bateman is the perfect wide receiver to help give the Lamar Jackson and the Ravens passing offense exactly what they need. His ability to control possession in the middle and intermediate areas of the field combined with being able to attack vertically makes him the versatile weapon they’ve been lacking for the past two years.

With the perfect player coming into this situation, it’s hard not to think about another wide receiver taken late in the first round of 2020, Justin Jefferson. As we all know, he slipped right into the role vacated by Stefon Diggs and gave Kirk Cousins the exact type of player needed opposite Adam Thielen, resulting in a campaign that could’ve easily earned him Offensive Rookie of the Year.

It’s not always fair to compare one young wide receiver to the next because so many factors go into their success. Having said that, it’s worth wondering with the situation Bateman is heading into if the rookie can have an impact of a similar magnitude to Jefferson.

It’s no guarantee but there are massive opportunities for Rashod Bateman right away in the Ravens offense.

There is no one and hasn’t been anyone in the Baltimore offense with Lamar Jackson that can do what Bateman is capable of. They tried to shoehorn players like Willie Snead into the role previously and Marquise Brown is obviously a big speed threat but they don’t offer the total package that the rookie will.

Now, a learning curve is always going to come into play — or at least it has. However, we’ve seen more instances recently with guys like Jefferson that come into the league with a versatile skill-set that makes them ready to shine. And according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN (subscription required), Bateman has looked like one of those guys so far in offseason workouts.

If Bateman is as good as advertised, he’s the key to unlocking Jackson and the passing offense in ways we’ve not seen before. So while he may not put up the same numbers as Jefferson, his impact may be similar in that he’ll produce at a high level and, more importantly, afford the rest of the offense even more opportunities to attack just. with his presence.