Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers believes that this upcoming NFL season will showcase a markedly different, more polished version of quarterback Lamar Jackson. After a disappointing 2023 campaign that saw the Ravens miss the playoffs for the first time since 2021, the team is eager to turn the page.
The previous year ended with an 8-9 record and a crushing defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the final game, which cost them the AFC North crown. Jackson, a two‑time MVP, was sidelined for four games due to injury and the Ravens stumbled out of the gate with a 1-5 start. Even after returning, he never seemed to recapture the electrifying, game‑breaking form that made him a household name.
Yet analysts and teammates alike are confident that he will emerge stronger as Baltimore launches its Super Bowl quest this September. "They’re going to see a different version this year," Flowers told Sky Sports.
"Under a new system, he gets a fresh start. He’ll be healthy, he’ll take care of himself, and you’ll see a new version of everybody—real soon." Flowers has positioned himself as Jackson’s most reliable target, having led the Ravens last season with 86 receptions for 1,211 yards and five touchdowns.
His confidence in the quarterback’s resurgence is palpable, and he expects the entire roster to benefit from the changes. Jackson’s 2023 statistics reflect a dip in his rushing production: 192 completions on 302 attempts (a 63.6% completion rate) for 2,549 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions, but only 349 rushing yards—well below his career norm of at least 695 yards each season. Despite the numbers, Jackson remains one of the league’s marquee faces and a cornerstone of any Super Bowl‑contending squad.
He has overcome early‑career doubts about his draft pedigree to become one of the most versatile playmakers in modern football. "He stays true to himself. He doesn’t change for anyone or anything," Flowers said, emphasizing the quarterback’s consistency and faith.
"He’s always going to be him, and you can count on that. Consistency, confidence, staying true to yourself and putting God first—that’s a formula that always wins. That’s what he has." For younger teammates like second‑year wide receiver LaJohntay Wester, witnessing Jackson’s daily work ethic is almost surreal. "It’s crazy," Wester marveled.
"I saw him scramble in practice last year and put the ball behind his back like he was playing basketball. Coaches tell quarterbacks not to do that, but it’s Lamar—Lamarvelous.
He does the impossible in practice and then pulls it off on Sundays. It’s just him being himself." The offseason also brought a seismic shift in the coaching staff. After 18 seasons at the helm, John Harbaugh departed, and the Ravens hired former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter as head coach.
Flowers sees this as a renewed chance for players who felt overlooked under the previous regime. "It’s a new opportunity for everybody," he said. "Coach Minter brings energy, and everyone is excited to start fresh and chase the same goal—a Super Bowl." Wester echoed the sentiment, noting that the new coaching philosophy injected the energy the team lacked last year.
"Everyone is on board, we have a solid plan, and we feel the momentum building," he added. The Ravens have been knocking on the Super Bowl door for several years, falling short in the divisional round three times since 2019 and losing the AFC Championship to the Kansas City Chiefs after the 2023 season. Yet the franchise remains a central figure in the AFC’s battle for relevance beyond the Chiefs’ dominance, and expectations are high for a resurgence in 2026.
Flowers highlighted the motivational impact of playing alongside elite talent. "If you look around and see Derrick Henry, then you look to your right and see Lamar Jackson, you think, ‘I have to grind, I have to bring my best,’" he said. "Great players push you to become the best version of yourself." For Wester, the chance to learn from veterans like Zay Flowers, Derrick Henry and Jackson is a catalyst for his own development. Drafted in the sixth round out of Colorado, he spent most of his rookie year returning kicks, but the new environment fuels his ambition.
"Seeing guys like Zay, Derrick and Lamar work hard every day makes me want to work even harder to impress them," he explained. "They’re legends in my city, and being around them makes you want to be flawless, to have your ducks in a row." In summary, the Ravens enter the new season with a revitalized quarterback, a fresh coaching perspective, and a roster hungry for redemption.
Jackson’s health, combined with the renewed energy from Coach Minter’s system, could well produce the most compelling version of Lamar Jackson yet—a player ready to lead Baltimore back to the NFL’s grandest stage.