Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers says fans are about to see a newly energized Lamar Jackson this season, a version of the quarterback that feels both refreshed and more potent. 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. An 8-9 record, capped by a crushing defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the final week, left the franchise without the AFC North crown and sparked a wave of introspection throughout the organization.
Jackson, a two‑time MVP, endured a turbulent year that included a four‑game absence due to injury and a rocky 1‑5 start that forced the Ravens into a perpetual catch‑up mode. Even when he returned, his play never quite matched the electrifying, game‑changing performances that have defined his career. Yet analysts and teammates alike anticipate that the quarterback will 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. "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 himself as Jackson's most reliable target, finishing last season atop the Ravens' receiving leaderboard with 86 receptions for 1,211 yards and five touchdowns. His confidence in Jackson's potential is palpable, and he believes the quarterback's upcoming season will be marked by both personal health and a revamped offensive approach.
Jackson's 2023 statistics illustrate a mixed picture: he completed 192 of 302 attempts (a 63.6% completion rate) for 2,549 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions. On the ground, however, he posted a career‑low 349 rushing yards—a stark contrast to the more than 1,000 yards he has traditionally amassed each season. Despite the dip, Jackson remains one of the NFL's most recognizable faces and a cornerstone of any team with Super Bowl aspirations. He has overcome early‑career doubts about his draft pedigree to become a versatile, high‑IQ playmaker.
"He stayed true to himself. He doesn't change for nobody," Flowers emphasized when describing Jackson's character. "He doesn't change for anything going on in his life. He's always going to be him and you can count on that.
Consistency, being yourself, confidence, and putting God first—that's what makes him unstoppable." For younger teammates like second‑year wide receiver LaJohntay Wester, adapting to Jackson's unique skill set is still a work in progress. "It's crazy," Wester said. "Some of the things that 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. Quarterback coaches tell them 'that's something you don't do,' but it's Lamar Jackson—it's Lamarvelous. Watching him replicate those Sunday highlights in weekday practice is just him being himself." The offseason also ushered in a seismic shift on the coaching side.
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 sees this transition as a chance for every player to prove themselves anew. "It's a new opportunity for everybody," he noted. "Those who didn't get a chance under Coach Harbaugh now have a fresh slate with Coach Minter.
You can feel the energy in the room. He brings energy, everyone wants to play, and we all share the same goal—a Super Bowl." Wester echoed that sentiment, highlighting the renewed vigor he feels within the locker room. "I'm very excited. New coaching staff, Coach Minter, he's bringing a new energy into the building.
That's something the Ravens were missing last year, and we have it this year. Everybody is on board, we have a solid plan." The Ravens' recent postseason history underscores the urgency of this transformation.
Since 2019, the team has fallen in the Divisional Round three times and suffered an AFC Championship loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at the close of the 2023 season. Yet the roster, anchored by Jackson and a cadre of elite talent, continues to vie for dominance in a fiercely competitive AFC landscape that still feels the reverberations of Chiefs supremacy.
Expectations are high that Baltimore will re‑emerge as a front‑running contender in 2026. Flowers summed up the competitive atmosphere with a vivid analogy: "If you look around, you see Derrick Henry, then you look to your right and see Lamar Jackson, you're like, 'oh yeah, I got to get right, I got to grind and I got to put my best foot forward.' It only makes you better with great players around you. It pushes you to be the best version of yourself." For younger players like Wester, the presence of established stars provides both motivation and a benchmark.
Drafted in the sixth round out of Colorado, Wester spent most of his rookie year as a return specialist. "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 from 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." In summary, the Ravens are poised for a season of renewal. With Jackson entering a healthier, more focused phase, a new coaching philosophy under Minter, and a roster hungry for validation, Baltimore aims to rewrite the narrative that has haunted them in recent playoffs. The combination of veteran leadership, youthful ambition, and a refreshed offensive identity could very well deliver the fresh start that Flowers and the entire organization have been yearning for.