Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers has emerged as a dynamic playmaker on the team, showcasing his electrifying skills alongside star quarterback Lamar Jackson. In his rookie season in 2023, Flowers set franchise records for targets, receptions, and receiving yards, solidifying his place as a key offensive weapon for the Ravens.
Flowers’ versatility and speed allowed him to excel in various roles within the offense, making him a threat at all levels of the field. Despite his success in his debut season, Flowers is determined to elevate his game even further in 2024, particularly in the deep passing game where he aims to make a bigger impact.
With the support of new offensive coordinator Todd Monken and a talented receiving corps, Flowers is focused on improving his chemistry with Jackson and expanding his role as a vertical threat. His ability to stretch the field and make big plays downfield will be crucial for the Ravens’ offensive success in the upcoming season.
Beyond his aspirations as a deep threat, Flowers is also committed to enhancing all aspects of his game, from blocking to route running. As a determined and resilient player, he is determined to silence his critics and continue his journey towards becoming a complete and impactful wide receiver in the NFL.
“I feel like I can go get them. If they’re in the air, I’ll go get them,” Flowers said. “That’s one of the things I want to improve [upon] to answer your question. I’ll say that’s one of the things just hitting more deep balls. Because that’s what I did in college, so I want to come out and try to hit more this year.”
His 11.1 yards per catch tied for 68th in the league and ranked sixth on the Ravens among players who had at least a dozen targets and receptions. Flowers’ average depth of target as a rookie was 7.9 yards due in large part to the kind of routes he ran and the touches the Ravens manufactured for him behind, at or just past the line of scrimmage.
However, when Flowers did go deep, he made some of the biggest receptions of the season, including catching a 54-yard bomb for a touchdown in the AFC Championship game, hauling in and finishing off a 75-yard catch-run touchdown for his longest play of the season in Week 17 and reeling in a 52-yard dart from Jackson between two defenders in Week 2.
In addition to having more deep shots for him dialed up by Monken or checked into pre-snap, connecting on them more consistently will help him grow in that area of the game which requires improving his chemistry with Jackson.
“[It’s] probably just running more of them and working on them with [Lamar Jackson], and working on them with the group, honestly, because I don’t think we had a lot last year, so we want to come out and improve,” Flowers said.
Becoming more of a vertical threat isn’t the only aspect of his game that the 23-year-old wants to elevate in 2024. As an undersized player, he has always had those who doubt his ability to be a complete receiver or even make it to the highest level of the sport but he has proved them wrong at every turn and wants to continue to do so in his second season and beyond.
“[I want to] take the whole game to the next level, everything from blocking to catching,” Flowers said. “I’m trying to get better at everything, and I’m trying to improve every year and prove all the doubters wrong.”