It is Bateman’s game, though—at least in theory. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound wideout played like a traditional “X receiver” both at Minnesota and in limited appearances during his rookie year. He can deal with press coverage, make contested catches in traffic, and be relied upon to get open against man coverage. Having one of those receivers is almost a prerequisite for fielding an effective passing game in today’s NFL.
“Guys like that are real gems,” Roman said of those true no. 1 receivers. “As [Bateman] develops, it’s going to become a real situation where any time he’s in a one-on-one situation with no help, we can go to him.