Baltimore receiver Zay Flowers says the NFL should brace for a refreshed, improved Lamar Jackson when the Ravens open the next season.
After an 8-9 finish that cost them a playoff spot for the first time since 2021, Baltimore heads into the offseason aiming to reset. Jackson missed four games in a campaign marred by injuries and the Ravens stumbled to a 1-5 start. Even after he returned, Jackson didn’t look like his usual explosive self, but teammates and staff expect a stronger version of the MVP as the team chases another Super Bowl push.
“They’re going to see a different version this year,” Flowers told Sky Sports. “Under a new system, he gets a fresh start. He’s going to be healthy. He’s going to take care of himself, everything. You’re going to see a new version of everybody. Real soon.”
Flowers emerged last season as Jackson’s most reliable target, finishing with 86 catches for 1,211 yards and five touchdowns. Jackson completed 192 of 302 passes (63.6%) for 2,549 yards with 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while his rushing total dropped to a career-low 349 yards after previously never falling below 695 yards in a season.
Despite a down year, Jackson remains one of the league’s biggest stars and a cornerstone of Baltimore’s title hopes. Flowers credited Jackson’s consistency of character as much as his talent. “He stayed true to himself. He doesn’t change for nobody,” Flowers said. “Consistency and being yourself, having confidence and putting God first — you’re always going to win. That’s what he got.”
Second-year returner LaJohntay Wester also marvels at Jackson’s unique skill set. “It’s crazy,” Wester said. “Some of the things he does are unreal. I saw him scramble in practice and put the ball behind his back like he was playing basketball. Coaches say ‘don’t do that,’ but it’s Lamar — it’s Lamarvelous.”
The offseason brought significant change in Baltimore. After 18 seasons, head coach John Harbaugh was replaced and the Ravens hired former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Players say the coaching shake-up has injected fresh energy and opportunity.
“It’s a new opportunity for everybody,” Flowers said. “Guys who didn’t get the chance to prove themselves under Harbaugh have a new chance with Jesse Minter. You can feel the energy in the room. He brings energy — everybody wants to play. Everyone’s excited to start fresh and chase the same goal: a Super Bowl.”
Wester echoed that sentiment, adding that the new staff brought a spark the team missed last year. “New coaching staff, coach Jesse Minter — he is bringing a new energy into the building. Everybody is on board and they’ve got a good plan for us.”
The Ravens have repeatedly been on the cusp of the franchise’s first Super Bowl in recent years, losing in the Divisional Round three times since 2019 and falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship at the end of the 2023 season. With one of the NFL’s most talented rosters and Jackson back to full health, expectations are high for the 2026 campaign.
Flowers pointed to the way elite teammates raise standards across the roster. “If you look around, you see Derrick Henry, then you look to your right and see Lamar Jackson — you know you have to get right, grind and put your best foot forward,” he said. “Great players around you only make you better. It pushes you to be the best version of yourself.”
Wester, who saw limited offensive action as a rookie and primarily handled returns after being drafted in the sixth round out of Colorado, hopes more opportunities will come. “I’m a young guy, so seeing guys like Zay, Derrick Henry and Lamar going hard every day made me want to go even harder to impress them,” he said. “These guys are legends from my city. You don’t want to mess up — you want to be on point and have your ducks in order.”
With renewed coaching leadership, rising role players and a motivated Jackson, the Ravens are projecting an atmosphere of optimism as they prepare to reassert themselves among the AFC favorites.