Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Ravens Face Difficult Financial Decision With Zay Flowers Extension

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Anthony Miller | Last updated Feb 20, 2026 6:00 PM ET

There won't be any Baltimore Ravens fans envious of general manager Eric DeCosta and new head coach Jesse Minter, as they have some tough decisions to make.

The Ravens must decide on some big-name free agents, like center Tyler Linderbaum, to see if they want to give him the big payday he is going to be due. There are some other interesting names, like tight end Isaiah Likely, who might have the team thinking hard about whether to re-sign them.

Baltimore also has to keep in mind what they will do with some of their top stars, such as quarterback Lamar Jackson, who could use a contract extension to reduce the cap hit. One other player to keep in mind for an extension is Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers.

Ravens must decide what to do with Zay Flowers' contract in 2026

Flowers has been a force with the Ravens since they picked him in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He's posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, with last year being his best with 1,211 yards and five touchdowns. Flowers has also been selected for the Pro Bowl two years in a row.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Entering the 2026 offseason, Flowers is technically in the final year of his four-year, $14 million rookie contract. He is eligible for an extension, as the Ravens can either pick up his fifth-year option or give him a long-term deal.

It should be known that there is no doubt in anyone's mind that Flowers will be in Baltimore for a long time, as it is not just a matter of if they get the long-term deal done now or next offseason. If the Ravens pick up his fifth-year option, they would be giving Flowers $28 million in 2027.

There is another option: Flowers agreeing to a long-term contract with the Ravens, which, according to Spotrac, would be valued at an estimated $31 million per year. That seems like a lot of money to cough up for Flowers, but he has been worth the money with what he can do.

Baltimore might have some hesitancy from the Ravens to do that after the bad experience they have had with giving another wide receiver a contract extension: Rashod Bateman. They gave Bateman a three-year, $36.7 million contract extension that so far has not paid off at all after he barely got over 200 yards receiving last year.

Regardless of what they decide on, Flowers needs some kind of extension, whether it's one extra year or multiple years. He's too good to let this deal linger for way too long.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Ravens on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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