The upcoming NFL season promises to showcase a markedly different, more polished version of Lamar Jackson, according to his Baltimore Ravens teammate Zay Flowers. After a disappointing 2023 campaign that saw the Ravens miss the playoffs for the first time since 2021, the franchise is eager for a turnaround. The team finished 8-9, ceding the AFC North title to the Pittsburgh Steelers following a decisive loss in the final week.
Jackson, a two‑time MVP, missed four games due to injury and the Ravens stumbled out of the gate with a 1-5 start that forced them into a perpetual catch‑up mode. Even after returning to the field, Jackson never quite recaptured the electrifying, game‑breaking form that made him a household name. Nonetheless, analysts and insiders expect him to emerge stronger as Baltimore re‑enters the Super Bowl conversation this September. "They're going to see a different version this year," Flowers told Sky Sports, emphasizing that a new offensive system and a healthier Jackson will produce a fresh iteration of the Ravens' attack.
"Under a new system, he gets a fresh start. He's going to be healthy. He's going to take care of himself, everything.
You're going to see a new version of everybody, if I'm being honest. Soon, real soon, everybody. Real soon." Flowers has cemented his role as Jackson's most reliable target, leading the Ravens last season with 86 receptions for 1,211 yards and five touchdowns.
His confidence in the quarterback is evident, and he believes the upcoming season will bring a collective resurgence. Jackson's 2023 statistics illustrate a mixed picture: he completed 192 of 302 passes (a 63.6 percent completion rate) for 2,549 yards, 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions. However, his rushing production dipped to a career‑low 349 yards, a stark contrast to his usual 700‑plus yard seasons.
Despite the dip, Jackson remains one of the NFL's marquee faces and a cornerstone of a team that consistently vies for a championship. "He stayed true to himself. He doesn't change for nobody," Flowers said, highlighting Jackson's unwavering authenticity. "He's always going to be him and you can count on that.
Consistency, being yourself, confidence, and putting God first—those are the things that keep you winning. Nothing can beat that, and that's what he has." For younger teammates like second‑year wide receiver LaJohntay Wester, the opportunity to learn from Jackson is still awe‑inspiring. "It's crazy," Wester remarked. "Some of the things he does are just unreal.
I saw him scramble in practice last year and put the ball behind his back like he was playing basketball. That's something quarterbacks are told not to do, but it's Lamar Jackson—Lamarvelous. He does it in practice the same way he does on Sundays. He's just being himself." The offseason also brought a seismic shift in the coaching staff.
After 18 seasons at the helm, John Harbaugh stepped down, and former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter was hired as the new head coach. Flowers welcomed the change, noting that the new regime offers players a chance to prove themselves in ways they couldn't under the previous regime. "It's a new opportunity for everybody," he said. "Everyone who didn't get a chance to shine under Coach Harbaugh now has a fresh start with Coach Minter.
You can feel that energy in the locker room. He brings energy, everyone wants to play, and we all share the same goal—a Super Bowl." Both Flowers and Wester echoed the sentiment, describing Minter's arrival as a revitalizing force that the Ravens lacked last year. Wester added, "I'm very excited.
The new coaching staff brings a new energy to the building. I feel that's what the Ravens were missing, and we have it this year.
Everybody is on board, and we have a solid plan." Historically, the Ravens have been close but not quite there, falling in the divisional round three times since 2019 and losing an AFC Championship to the Kansas City Chiefs at the end of the 2023 season. Yet the team remains a dominant force in the AFC, constantly battling the Chiefs' supremacy and aiming to be a front‑runner again in 2026.
Flowers summed up the competitive mindset: "If you look around, you see Derrick Henry, then you look to your right and see Lamar Jackson, and you think, 'I have to grind, I have to put my best foot forward.' It only makes you better to have great players around you. It pushes you to be the best version of yourself." Opportunities are also emerging for players like Wester, who entered the league as a sixth‑round pick from Colorado and primarily contributed as a return specialist last season.
"I'm a young guy, so seeing Zay, Derrick Henry, Lamar every day going hard makes me want to work even harder to impress them," he said. "These guys are legends in my city. Being around them means you can't afford to mess up—you have to be on point and have your ducks in a row." Looking ahead, the Ravens' revamped roster, fresh coaching perspective, and a healthier, more dynamic Lamar Jackson set the stage for a potentially transformative season. If Jackson can blend his dual‑threat skill set—accurate passing, explosive runs, and the improvisational flair that earned him the nickname "Lamarvelous"—with the renewed energy of his teammates and coaches, Baltimore could very well become the AFC's next powerhouse.
The narrative is clear: a fresh start, a new system, and a quarterback ready to rewrite his own story. The league will be watching closely to see whether this iteration of Lamar Jackson truly lives up to the hype and propels the Ravens back into championship contention.