This Player Was Ravens Safety Blanket

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers already had a strong rookie season in 2023, but in 2024, he emerged as the top wideout that the team has been desperately missing for years.

Flowers, the No. 22 overall pick in 2023 out of Boston College, caught 74 passes for 1,059 yards and four touchdowns last season. Not only did he become the Ravens' first 1,000-yard receiver since 2021, but he became their first receiver to ever make the Pro Bowl (not counting return specialists). Unfortunately, he missed that event, and more importantly the entire postseason, due to a late knee injury, but the season as a whole was a smashing success.

Arguably Flowers' greatest strength is that Lamar Jackson can depend on him in almost any situation. Be it on deep passes, short screen plays, or most importantly for this discussion, when the play breaks down.

According to Pro Football Focus, Flowers ranked third in the league last season with a 20 percent threat rate (target rate based on the number of routes run) when Jackson was under pressure.

"Flowers saw 36 targets when his quarterback was under pressure last season (eighth most), and he hauled in 15 for 264 yards and a touchdown," PFF's Lauren Gray wrote. "All of his catches moved the chains, with nearly half (seven) gaining 15 or more yards. He also finished with the second-highest deep target rate in pressure situations (38.9%).

"Flowers has racked up 66 pressured targets in his first two seasons, logging 32 catches for 587 yards and four touchdowns. He ranks in the top 10 in targets and receiving yards across that span. He has gained 29 first downs and earned a 76.0 PFF receiving grade on those plays."

Jackson has long relied on his tight ends as security blankets, but last season, it was Flowers filling that role. Hey, it never hurts having more reliable options when the situation calls for them.