Latest news with #ZayFlowers
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Ravens have big plans now that Zay Flowers is back at full speed
Ravens have big plans now that Zay Flowers is back at full speed Injury forced Zay Flowers to miss some time, but another step forward is coming soon. Some of your grandfathers and grandmothers, fathers and mothers, and older siblings are probably in the same boat. They wouldn't recognize their Baltimore Ravens if they, for some reason, got busy and hadn't had a chance to watch in a while. Once upon a time, the 'faces' of this franchise played on the defense. Who can forget about the legends: Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, and Terrell Suggs? But this isn't your grandfather's Ravens. The flock wins many of its games with its offense now, and there's a chance it will be more powerful during the 2025-26 NFL season. Make no mistake. There are stars on the Ravens' defense too, but this team belongs to Lamar Jackson. This organization rests safely in his more than capable hands. One of his top weapons is back, and even though it's only June, excitement is brewing at the Under Armour Performance Center. Lamar Jackson gets one of his weapons back, and the rest of the NFL may not be ready. Year three approaches for the Zay Flowers experiment, and things seem to be going just about as well as expected. Depending on the observer's paradigm, some might say he's ahead of schedule or right on time, that is until a knee injury sidelined him through the postseason. Zay's NFL resume is already impressive: a 2024 Pro Bowl nod, the Ravens' rookie record for most receiving yards by a wide receiver (858), and the franchise record for the most receptions by a rookie wide receiver (77). The summer has brought good news. He's fully healthy and recovered from his injury, and the offensive coordinator is already pumped about the possibilities: "We've just got to get him the ball more. He's an unbelievable football player. He's not only an outside receiver that has elite route-running skills, but he's unbelievable with the ball in his hands. So, you have a guy that really plays two spots." Those were the words of Todd Monken taken from the official team site. It sounds like it will be a big year for Baltimore's talented wideout. "I'm not sure he can use that in his contract negotiations, but I'm just saying you can use him in a variety of roles to get him the ball, which allows your volume to go up. He's a volume catch guy. You can use him in novelty screens, getting him the ball down the field. I expect him to take another leap. When you make it to the Pro Bowl, or you're an All-Pro, you're pretty good." If you're feeling the excitement, you're well within your rights. Zay is part of a balanced and loaded attack. Baltimore has no shortage of weapons on offense. Flowers and DeAndre Hopkins have already built a bond. Derrick Henry and Rashod Bateman both got paid this offseason. Some of the other Ravens stars are certain to follow suit. Isaiah Likely, Mark Andrews, and Charlie Kolar comprise the deepest tight end room in the game. The aforementioned Lamar Jackson is the maestro of what should be a very beautiful symphony. Expect big things from Flowers. Another Pro Bowl nod is possible. Based on what Coach Monken is saying, it may not be unwise to expect one.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
A Healthy Baltimore Ravens Offense Will Terrify Teams in 2025
A Healthy Baltimore Ravens Offense Will Terrify Teams in 2025 originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The NFL offseason is a complicated formula of fine-tuning and reinforcing rosters. The Baltimore Ravens weren't uber-aggressive in the early period of free agency, but Eric DeCosta put together a draft class for fans to be excited about. Advertisement But, it may not be the new additions that take Baltimore's offense to a next level. Perhaps the most vital additions come from players who are returning from injury. The Ravens were without second-year running back Keaton Mitchell for most of last season after he tore his ACL late in his rookie campaign. Mitchell returned for the final five games of the season, but he didn't look his usual speedy self. Mitchell took just 15 carries for 30 yards after averaging 8.4 yards per carry as a rookie. The Ravens are also returning Pro Bowl receiver Zay Flowers, who got hurt at the most inopportune time in 2024. Flowers hurt his knee in a Week 18 matchup against the Cleveland Browns, and the Ravens were left without their top weapon in the receiving game for the playoffs. Now, both playmakers are back at full health and are ready to dominate defenses in 2025. Both players showed up at OTAs showing lots of promise, with words to back it up. Advertisement 'I feel like I'm back better than when I first got here. It's going to be a movie.' Mitchell said. "My knee's great," Flowers said on Tuesday. "I feel 100%. I feel like I'm ready to go, ready for the season, no limits." Ravens' offensive coordinator Todd Monken has high hopes for Flowers, saying the third-year receiver is "unbelievable" and he could see even more volume this year. 'We've just got to get him the ball more,' Monken said, via the Ravens' website. 'He's an unbelievable football player. He's not only an outside receiver that has elite route-running skills, but he's unbelievable with the ball in his hands. So you have a guy that really plays two spots. I'm not sure he can use that in his contract negotiations. But I'm just saying you can use him in a variety of roles to get him the ball, which allows your volume to go up. He's a volume catch guy. You can use him in novelty screens, getting him the ball down the field. I expect him to take another leap. When you make it to the Pro Bowl, or you're an All-Pro, you're pretty good." Advertisement Related: Harbaugh Reveals Take on Lamar Jackson Missing Ravens OTAs Related: Ravens Corner Bulking Up for Breakout Season This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
NFL star wide receiver Rashod Bateman signs new $37m, three-year contract
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman has signed a new three-year, $37million contract with the team through the end of the 2027 season. Bateman has spent his entire professional career with the Ravens after being the team's first-round draft pick in 2021. This is Bateman's third NFL contract after a rookie deal and an extension last offseason. Last year, Bateman signed a $15million extension over three years, with Baltimore nearly giving the wideout that value each season through 2027. Bateman's 2024 speaks in large to his uptick in value with 756 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. Before the start of last season, Bateman only had four career NFL touchdowns. Bateman will slot into the Ravens' starting lineup as one of the top trio of wide receivers alongside Zay Flowers and DeAndre Hopkins. The Ravens' backfield of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry should provide plenty of opportunities for wide receivers, even with the guaranteed touches two of the best players in the NFL will get every week from John Harbaugh. Bateman was also effective in the postseason last year, scoring two touchdowns before Baltimore's divisional-round exit against the Buffalo Bills. Heading into 2025, the Ravens look to be ready for another run at a Super Bowl, as is the case when one of the best quarterbacks in the league is under center. Bateman now will be integral to those efforts for years to come.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
DeAndre Hopkins has already won over Zay Flowers with early impression
DeAndre Hopkins has already won over Zay Flowers with early impression Zay Flowers offers an elite compliment to new ravens teammate DeAndre Hopkins. Only in Charm City can a wide receiver be as talented as Zay Flowers and be treated like he's just another guy. It's almost offensive when you think about it. A two-time First-Team All-ACC nod, his skill set translated nicely to the professional level. He hasn't disappointed since the Baltimore Ravens invested the 22nd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to acquire him. Simply put, they hit the jackpot, and they know it. He's a five-foot-nine, 175-pounder who plays the game like he's Derrick Henry's size (a six-foot-three, 247-pound battering ram). If Zay continues on the path he is on, he's going to be nestled in conversations about the elite regularly, despite being ignored frequently by the national media. As the saying goes, you can't keep a good wide receiver down for long. Okay, maybe that isn't the way that phrase is stated, but it should be. Zay is on his way, and now, he has a seasoned veteran to pattern some of his game after. DeAndre Hopkins makes yet another unforgettable Ravens impression. Flowers tallied 77 receptions for 585 yards and reached the end zone five times as a rookie. Then, during the 2024-25 regular season, he topped the 1,000-yard plateau on three fewer catches. Four more trips to the end zone and his first Pro Bowl nod were added to his resume last season. The Pro Bowl roster is an area DeAndre Hopkins has visited often. He has earned five since entering the league in 2013, but he hasn't received that recognition since 2020. Now, after bouncing on and off three rosters since 2020, he's looking to reinvigorate his career with Baltimore. Early indications suggest he may be able to do it. He's found the fountain of youth at Ravens OTAs, playing with a speed and swagger we haven't seen in a while. His energy has been infectious, and he's made quite the impression on Zay Flowers, who enters his third NFL season. Stockpiling the Ravens' cupboard with veteran receivers isn't anything new. Think Steve Smith, Odell Beckham Jr., and now, the man known in Clemson, South Carolina, as 'Nuk Hopkins'. Flowers will learn a lot from DeAndre. Together, they'll create quite the tandem. Teamed with Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, Mark Andrews, and Isaiah Likely, this could be a potent offense when they gel and put everything together. Zay recently expressed his goals for the coming season. Yeah... He has the right mindset. He'll be fine. Don't worry about the lack of national attention. The accolades and continued success will come. Think of it this way. Sometimes, that's a byproduct of being an organization known for being home to some of the best defenders of all time. Sometimes, that's a byproduct of teaming with a guy called 'The King' and another named 'Action Jackson'.
Reuters
7 days ago
- General
- Reuters
Ravens WR Zay Flowers practicing with 'no limits' in OTAs
June 4 - After missing the Baltimore Ravens' two playoff games in January with a right knee sprain, wide receiver Zay Flowers is reportedly on track to return to full strength after avoiding offseason surgery. Flowers suffered the injury in the regular-season finale against Cleveland, resulting in the wideout watching from the sidelines as the Ravens fell in the divisional round. According to Baltimore's team website, Flowers assured that his "knee's great" and that he's "ready for the season, no limits." A 2023 first-round pick by the Ravens out of Boston College, Flowers led Baltimore with 74 catches and 1,059 receiving yards in 2024. He also hauled in four touchdown passes and became the first Raven to be selected to the Pro Bowl at wide receiver. With him now practicing at the team's OTAs, Baltimore offensive coordinator Todd Monken emphasized that the Ravens need to prepare to increase Flowers' production in 2025. "We've just got to get him the ball more," Monken said, via the team's website. "He's an unbelievable football player. He's not only an outside receiver that has elite route-running skills, but he's unbelievable with the ball in his hands. "So you have a guy that really plays two spots. ... I expect him to take another leap. When you make it to the Pro Bowl, or you're an All-Pro, you're pretty good." In two years with the Ravens, Flowers has totaled 151 catches for 1,917 yards and nine touchdowns. --Field Level Media
