Ravens, Zay Flowers Agree To Extension

This is a four-year, $140MM extension, per Schefter. He adds the pact contains $108MM in guarantees. Flowers had his fifth-year option exercised this spring. As a result, today’s news means he will be in place through 2031.

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta has taken multiple first-round swings at the receiver position over the course of his tenure. Flowers represents the most successful of those selections, and he will be counted on to remain Baltimore’s focal point in the passing game for the foreseeable future. This deal carries an average annual value of $35MM, which represents a tie with Justin Jefferson (whose Vikings extension was signed two years ago) for fourth at the WR position in terms of AAV.

Earlier this offseason, Jaxon Smith-Njigba reset the position’s market with his Seahawks extension. Flowers was not expected to match that figure, but his 2023 draft classmate certainly helped raise the floor for other big-money receiver deals. With respect to per-year compensation, this pact moves Flowers into second place on the Ravens behind only Lamar Jackson.

By mid-April, it was clear a mutual interest existed in a long-term extension in this case. Baltimore had time to wait thanks to the option decision lining up Flowers to receive over $27MM in 2027, but negotiations continued during the lead-up to training camp. In July, DeCosta confirmed the team’s goal was to have an agreement in place prior to Week 1. That has now been achieved.

Since being selected 22nd overall three years ago, Flowers has been a mainstay. The Boston College product has been targeted at least 108 times every season to date, and he is positioned to remain the team’s WR1 for years to come. Flowers has seen his receiving total increase each year, topping 1,000 in 2024 and again last season. That has resulted in back-to-back Pro Bowl nods. At the age of 26 (as of next month), Flowers will be expected to remain among the league’s most productive wideouts moving forward.

At a size of 5-9 and 183 pounds, Flowers does not fit the profile of a typical No. 1 receiver. That led some to wonder about the value of any long-term deal being capped, although today has proven the Ravens’ willingness to make a major financial commitment. Durability has not been an issue to date, with Flowers only missing one game in each of the regular season and playoffs so far.

Baltimore’s WR room also includes Rashod Bateman, who has signed two extensions with the team already. Otherwise, the Ravens will rely on a number of wideouts attached to their rookie contracts in 2026. That includes Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt, who were selected in the third and fourth rounds of this year’s draft. Depth roles could await at least one of them in the fall, but Flowers will be tasked with leading the way in the passing game now and well into the future.