Ravens coach John Harbaugh mentioned Thursday night time that his new offensive coordinator Todd Monken “had a good day today.”
That was an understatement. First, the Ravens locked up quarterback Lamar Jackson to a profitable long-term deal within the afternoon, then six hours later they gave him one other weapon for an offense that all of the sudden has the potential to be some of the explosive within the NFL.
Harbaugh mentioned final month that the Ravens would draft a large receiver they usually adopted via, deciding on Zay Flowers out of Boston College with the twenty second general decide of the NFL draft.
“That was probably my best visit,” Flowers mentioned of his predraft go to with the Ravens earlier this month. “I knew if I reached [pick] 22, I had a feeling they were going to pick me. So, it worked out perfect.”
Though the Ravens had already bolstered their receiving corps this offseason with the free agent additions of two-time All-Pro Odell Beckham Jr. and veteran Nelson Agholor, it was clear that basic supervisor Eric DeCosta felt the necessity to proceed to strengthen one of many weakest positions on the roster.
It additionally offers Jackson, who agreed to a five-year deal price a reported $260 million to make him the highest-paid participant within the NFL when it comes to annual common wage, an explosive participant at a place they badly wanted one. Last season, the Ravens’ broad receivers completed final within the NFL in yards by a large margin.
Flowers must be a right away assist.
While he’s simply 5-foot-9 and 182 kilos, what he lacks in measurement he greater than makes up for in elusiveness, pace and exact route operating. He ran the 40-yard sprint in 4.42 seconds on the NFL scouting mix and had a 58.3% contested catch fee final season whereas racking up greater than 500 yards after the catch, based on Pro Football Focus.
Flowers completed final season with 78 catches for 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns. He additionally had 5 or extra receptions on targets 20-plus yards downfield in all 4 of his faculty seasons, together with 12 in 2022.
“I can do whatever you need me to do,” Flowers mentioned. “I can run every route you give me; I can separate; I can make competitive catches. Whatever you have to do to play on the outside, I feel like I can do, and I can do it at a high level.”
In teaming with Jackson, there’s additionally a level of familiarity. Flowers, who has 12 brothers and sisters and returned to Boston College for his senior yr regardless of a reported profitable six-figure identify, picture and likeness supply to alter faculties, grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, one city over from the place Jackson starred in Pompano Beach.
“My first time seeing something about Lamar was when he made the high school move where he pointed at [the defender] and walked into the end zone,” Flowers mentioned. “When I found out that was him, I was like, ‘Oh, yes. He’s going to be special when he gets to the league.’”
The Ravens assume they are often particular, too, and with good purpose.
A receiving corps that was the worst within the NFL final season now might be the most effective with Beckham, Flowers, Agholor and Rashod Bateman. There’s additionally tight ends Mark Andrews, an All-Pro in 2021, and younger however promising Isaiah Likely, together with a robust operating sport and offensive line.
“That’s two guys [Jackson and Beckham] that’s explosive and can make plays at any time,” Flowers mentioned. “You know what Lamar can do. You know what Odell can do. You’ve seen flashes of it; just so happened that he got hurt, but he’s 100[%] now. … It’s gonna be fun.”
DeCosta mentioned that the Ravens bought calls about their No. 22 decide, giving them a chance to maneuver down and purchase one other decide or two. With simply 5 picks coming into the night time, Baltimore tied for the second-fewest with the Denver Broncos behind solely the Miami Dolphins.
But given the necessity and what the Ravens noticed in Flowers, who they started scouting in 2021 and checked out closely throughout the East-West Shrine Bowl, they weren’t going to cross up the chance. Likewise, Flowers mentioned he felt a “connection” with the Ravens throughout the latter.
DeCosta mentioned including broad receivers is one thing that he thought of whereas watching the staff final season and proper after the season ended with a 24-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals within the wild-card spherical.
“Zay was highly rated and fit what we do,” DeCosta mentioned. “We felt there might be a run on wide receivers [at that point in the draft]. Passing on Zay to get a couple extra picks was probably not the smartest thing to do.”
Particularly if he seems anyplace close to nearly as good as the previous Raven that he’s drawn comparisons to, Steve Smith Sr.
“I’ve been watching his tape since I was, what — 6 or 7 years old?” Flowers mentioned of Smith. “My dad always told me, ‘It doesn’t matter about size; it’s about what’s in your chest.’ He always kept me motivated and said, ‘You have to be like Steve Smith. Steve Smith was a dog.’ So, that’s what made me like him, and love him and watch him a lot. So, it means a lot to look up to him, and to get to meet him was extremely great.”
Likewise, DeCosta mentioned that Smith cherished what he noticed in Flowers.
“If he has that much respect for a wide receiver, you better pay attention,” DeCosta mentioned.
The Ravens’ offense ought to get loads of consideration with the return of Jackson and Flowers now within the fold, too.
“When I saw him [Jackson] sign that, I was like, ‘Oh, if I go there, it’s going to be a lot of trouble on the field,” Flowers mentioned. “But I was happy for him. I’m glad he got what he wanted, and we’re double juiced up.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com