Baltimore Ravens wideout Zay Flowers sat on the sideline while his team was bounced out of the postseason for the second straight year. The year before it was partly thanks to a late fumble by Flowers, but this time he wasn't on the field due to a knee injury suffered in the Ravens' 35-10 win over the Cleveland Browns.
He missed all of the postseason last year and continues to rehab. He was able to avoid surgery and is present at the team's OTAs.
Offensive coordinator Todd Monken gave an update, saying he's got "no limits" from his injury, and has Monken itching to get him back on the field to utilize him more in the offense in 2025.
“We’ve just got to get him the ball more,” Monken said, via the team’s website. “He’s an unbelievable football player. He’s not only an outside receiver who has elite route-running skills, but he’s unbelievable with the ball in his hands. So you have a guy who really plays two spots. I’m not sure he can use that in his contract negotiations. But I’m just saying you can use him in a variety of roles to get him the ball, which allows your volume to go up. He’s a volume catch guy.
"You can use him in novelty screens, getting him the ball down the field. I expect him to take another leap. When you make it to the Pro Bowl, or you’re an All-Pro, you’re pretty good.”
In the 2023 postseason, Flowers fumbled away a potential touchdown in the loss to Kansas City. So not participating in the 2024 playoffs was "killing him."
"It was killing me, for sure," Flowers said following the 27-25 loss to Buffalo. "I want to be out there every game. I want to go through everything they go through, so not being out there, it took a little toll on me, just to watch that and not be able to participate and do what I wanted to do and help the team."
He'll be eligible for a contract extension after the 2025 campaign, and increased usage in the offense could be a useful negotiating tool.