The Baltimore Ravens are experiencing significant roster changes during the 2026 NFL offseason, creating uncertainty around the future of standout wide receiver Zay Flowers.

Defending the WR during the team press conference, the franchise’s quarterback, Lamar Jackson, sent a strong message by quashing all the uncertainties around Flowers’ importance in the roster and his contract extension. 

“I don’t want to say that’s a bad question, but you know what his value is to this team, man,” Jackson said of Flowers. “We love Z. We need Z. He’s one of the best receivers in the league, man.” 

The Ravens' front office is making some strict decisions by replacing the head coach, John Harbaugh, with Jesse Minter, and putting Jackson’s future under consideration. This made the reporters question the Flowers' future in the franchise. 

“He showed that since he stepped on the NFL field back in 2023. He’s been showing it in camp,” Jackson said. “I wasn’t even here yet. And he was just doing his route running and making crazy catches.”

Since his selection in the 2023 NFL Draft as a first-round pick out of Boston College, he has been a production machine for the Ravens. 

Flowers has played three seasons for the Ravens and appeared in 50 games. He covered 3,128 yards and scored 14 touchdowns, registering his importance on the Ravens’ roster.

He was drafted on a four-year rookie contract with the Ravens at $14.03M, with his contract running out through 2027, and soon, he will be looking for a lucrative deal with the Ravens to continue playing for them. 

“He was just doing what he’s been doing. So his value is like out of this real,” Jackson added. “Out of this real, man. That’s what I say.”

Jackson made it clear that the Ravens need him on the roster to fulfil their 2026 NFL endeavors. 

But is he in a shape to continue for the Ravens?

Zay Flowers’ 2026 Status Comes Into Focus

Many NFL pundits favor Zay Flowers as the standout wide receiver in the Baltimore Ravens, but he does have his own struggles with persistent hand injuries. 

Ahead of the 2026 NFL season, the 25-year-old WR came out clean on his hand injuries on the Off the Clock podcast with Eddie Jackson and Joshua Bellamy.

“I had surgery on my hand. I re-break my hand every year,” Flowers said. I’ve been re-breaking my hand since high school. Every time I catch it, it would never go in my left [hand], it would always go in my right.” 

Despite battling a lingering hand injury, he missed just one game during his rookie campaign and remained available for the rest of the season, according to Pro Football Focus. 

His durability through adversity provides further confidence in his availability heading into the 2026 NFL season.

Read more at Quarter Back Central!

Written by

Kunwar Yashaswee Chhaunker