Ravens Gridiron News: Zay Flowers is ‘letting his talent shine’; Zach Ertz a fit?
Talented rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers is coming into his own in the Baltimore Ravens offense. Part of that growth has been his work ethic, and another component has been his simple understanding of the game.
Highly touted coming out of Boston College, the No. 22 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft has lived up to the hype with the Ravens with 58 catches for 613 yards and two touchdowns. As an electrifying playmaker, Flowers has room for growth which will only make Lamar Jackson that much more effective once the rookie gets more experience under his belt.
Speaking of experience, just learning and understanding the position at the NFL level is what wide receivers coach Greg Lewis highlighted as Flowers’ biggest improvement.
"Just understanding the offense and understanding the different [wide receiver] positions and where he can be utilized at,” Lewis said via the team’s official website. “For a young player to come into the NFL in any organization, learn a new offense, learn the [play call] verbiage and understand that it's hard to learn one spot, let alone two or three spots. [Zay Flowers] has grown immensely throughout the season as far as understanding the entire schematic of what we're trying to get accomplished and how he fits into the puzzle and then going out there and letting his talent shine."
In all, the capability of Rashod Bateman, the leadership of Nelson Agholor and Odell Beckham Jr. along with that explosive talent of Flowers, gives Jackson quite the weaponry going down the stretch and into the playoffs.
NFL rumors: Is Zach Ertz a fit for the Ravens?
In NFL news on Thursday, the Arizona Cardinals and three-time Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz agreed on a release which makes the 33-year-old pass-catching tight end a free agent and able to sign with a Super Bowl contender.
With the loss of Mark Andrews, could the Baltimore Ravens be a team in pursuit of Ertz who has not played since late October?
In naming possible landing spots for the veteran tight end, CBS Sports writers Bryan DeArdo & Cody Benjamin had this to say about the possibility of Baltimore as a landing spot:
“Baltimore makes a ton of sense given that Mark Andrews was recently lost for the season with an ankle injury. Ertz would team up in Baltimore with Isaiah Likley, who has taken over as the Ravens' top tight end with Andrews out.”
While no one can replace Andrews, who is a more powerful target at the position, adding another target to go alongside Likley is worth considering for the Ravens who continue to flock on top the AFC with Lamar Jackson playing some of his best football.
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With 27 catches for 187 yards and a touchdown this season, Ertz isn’t near the productive tight end he was during his days with the Philadelphia Eagles, but joining a contender like the Ravens where he will be a complimentary piece could spark a big of rejuvenation in the tight end while giving Baltimore’s offense a jolt.