It's amazing what Zay Flowers has accomplished three years into his career. Last season, Flowers recorded 1,211 yards, the most ever by a Baltimore Ravens receiver. To me, it's clear that Flowers is a rock-solid No. 1 receiver.Â
As crazy as this might sound: Baltimore might need him to reach another level. Somewhat controversially, the Ravens haven't made any big upgrades to their wide receiver room. With third-round pick Ja'Kobi Lane, fourth-round pick Elijah Sarratt, and veteran Chris Moore being their most notable additions.Â
Look, I'm on board with the idea of internal growth, and have particularly high expectations for Devontez Walker. However, there's a world where the rookies aren't ready, Walker doesn't take a massive step, and Rashod Bateman keeps struggling. In this event, or if the Ravens simply have a No. 2 receiver by committee, they'll be asking even more from Flowers.
The Ravens clearly have high hopes for Flowers this season; Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic noted that he's a key reason why the team hasn't been interested in big names, including Stefon Diggs.
For the Ravens' staunch belief in Zay to be fully vindicated, it's safe to say he needs to reach another level.
The Baltimore Ravens are banking on Zay Flowers improving even more
During a recent appearance on The Lounge Podcast, head coach Jesse Minter said:Â "The more that guy (Zay) touches the ball, the better we'll be."Â Clearly, after seeing their offseason approach, he'll be an even bigger priority. And he could prove worthy of the heavier focus.
As things currently stand, I'd argue Flowers is somewhere around the 12th to 17th best receiver in the league. He's good enough to be a clear No. 1 on a great team.Â
Still, can he truly carry a great passing offense without dependable receivers around him? That's unclear, but that might be what the Ravens need him to be as they look to increase their passing volume. Thus, leveling up to a clear-cut top-10 receiver might be the necessary next step for Flowers.Â
Despite Flowers' impressive early career, there are still clear areas for him to improve. Firstly, he needs to become more of a red-zone threat. Flowers was targeted just seven times in the red-zone last season, which led to one touchdown. Part of this could be a coaching issue, but it's also partly due to Zay not being a traditional red-zone threat despite his elite route running.
Moreover, Flowers' 1,211 receiving yards ranked seventh in the league last season, but he recorded just five touchdowns. Notably, everyone else who ranked in the top 10 for receiving yards had five or fewer TDs. Whatever way you slice it, Flowers' touchdown volume needs to improve for him to level up and be a true focal point player.Â
And while Flowers' fumbling problem is a bit overstated by his detractors, there's no denying that you'd like to see his ball security improve. He recorded three fumbles last season (which are his lone three regular season fumbles). At times, Zay needs to protect the ball better and simply run north-to-south.
The point is that Flowers has areas for improvement.Â
None of this should be seen as a major knock against Flowers. He is primed to be the Ravens' best WR of all-time and is a rock-solid No. 1 WR. Regardless, without a clear-cut No. 2 alongside him, and with the Ravens looking to pass more, Flowers might need to level up.Â
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