Baltimore Ravens teammate Zay Flowers insists that this season will showcase a newly invigorated Lamar Jackson, a version of the quarterback that fans have yet to see. 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 Ravens finished 8-9, ceding the AFC North crown to the Pittsburgh Steelers with a decisive loss in the final week. Jackson, a two‑time MVP, missed four games due to injury and the squad 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 defined his earlier years. Yet analysts and insiders believe that a healthier, more focused Jackson will be a key catalyst as Baltimore aims to re‑enter 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 emerged as Jackson's most reliable target, hauling in 86 receptions for 1,211 yards and five touchdowns last season. His confidence in the quarterback is evident, and he believes the upcoming season will be a turning point for the entire offense. Jackson’s 2023 statistical line reads 192 completions on 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 usual 700‑plus yard seasons that have become his hallmark.
Despite the dip in production, Jackson remains one of the NFL’s marquee faces and a central figure in the league’s Super Bowl conversation. He has shed early‑career doubts and solidified his reputation as one of the most versatile and dynamic play‑callers in modern football. "He stayed true to himself.
He doesn't change for nobody," Flowers said, emphasizing Jackson's consistency and authenticity. "He's always going to be him and you can count on that. And I feel like consistency and being yourself and having confidence in yourself and putting God first, you're always going to win. There's nothing that can beat that.
And that's what he got." Flowers, now in his third year alongside Jackson, has grown accustomed to the quarterback’s unique skill set. Younger teammates, such as second‑year wide receiver and return specialist LaJohntay Wester, still marvel at Jackson’s improvisational brilliance.
"It's crazy," Wester exclaimed. "Some of the things that he does, it's just unreal.
I saw him scramble last year in practice and put the ball behind his back, like he was playing basketball. That's something quarterbacks are not allowed to do. Coaches say 'that's something you don't do', but it's Lamar Jackson, it's Lamarvelous." The offseason brought significant change to Baltimore’s coaching staff. After 18 seasons at the helm, John Harbaugh stepped down, and the organization appointed former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter as the new head coach.
Flowers described the transition as a rejuvenating moment for the entire roster. "It's a new opportunity for everybody," he said. "Players who didn't get a chance to prove themselves under Coach Harbaugh now have a fresh slate with Coach Minter.
You can feel that energy in the room. He brings energy, everyone wants to play, and we’re all excited to start fresh and chase the same goal: a Super Bowl." Both Flowers and Wester echoed the sentiment, noting that Minter’s arrival injected a much‑needed spark that seemed missing in the previous season.
"I'm very excited," Wester added. "The new coaching staff, especially Coach Minter, is bringing a new energy into the building.
I feel like that's something the Ravens were missing last year, and we got it this year. Everybody is on board, they have a good plan for us." The Ravens have been knocking on the Super Bowl door for several years, falling short in the divisional round three times since 2019 and suffering an AFC Championship loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at the end of the 2023 season. Yet the franchise remains a central contender in the fiercely competitive AFC, determined to break the Chiefs’ recent dominance and re‑establish itself as a championship threat in 2026.
Flowers highlighted the motivational impact of playing alongside other elite talents. "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 grind and put my best foot forward'," he said. "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 veterans offers both inspiration and pressure.
Drafted in the sixth round out of Colorado, Wester spent most of his rookie season returning kicks, but the new environment promises greater opportunities. "I'm a young guy, so just seeing guys like Zay, Derrick Henry, Lamar every day going hard makes me want to work even harder to impress them," he explained. "These guys are legends from my city. Being around them, you don’t want to mess up.
You want to be on point, you want to have your ducks in order." Looking ahead, the Ravens’ revamped coaching philosophy, Jackson’s renewed health, and the collective hunger of a roster eager to prove itself suggest that the upcoming season could indeed feature the most polished and potent version of Lamar Jackson yet. With a fresh system, a supportive staff, and a cadre of talented teammates, the team hopes to translate that energy into tangible success on the field, aiming to finally break through the playoff barrier and contend for the Lombardi Trophy.