The upcoming NFL season promises to showcase a rejuvenated 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 to turn the page. The team finished 8-9, ceding the AFC North crown in a decisive loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers 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, forcing them into a perpetual catch‑up mode.
Even after returning to the field, Jackson never quite looked as electrifying as he did during his peak years. Nevertheless, analysts and insiders believe that the quarterback is poised to come back stronger as Baltimore re‑enters the Super Bowl conversation this September. "They're going to see a different version this year," wide receiver Zay 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 firmly established himself 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 expects the entire offense to benefit from the changes on the horizon.
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 his usual 700‑plus totals. Despite the dip, Jackson remains one of the league's marquee faces and a cornerstone of a team that has long positioned itself as a Super Bowl contender.
He has overcome early pre‑draft doubts to become one of football's most dynamic and versatile playmakers. Flowers praised Jackson's consistency and authenticity, saying, "He stayed true to himself. He doesn't change for nobody. He's always going to be him and you can count on that.
Consistency, being yourself, confidence, and putting God first—that's the formula that always wins. That's what he has." For younger teammates like second‑year wide receiver LaJohntay Wester, watching Jackson day in and day out remains a source of awe. "It's crazy," Wester remarked.
"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 you that's not allowed, but it's Lamar Jackson—it's Lamarvelous.
Seeing him replicate the Sunday magic in practice every day just shows he's being himself." The offseason also brought a seismic shift in the coaching staff. After 18 seasons at the helm, longtime head coach John Harbaugh departed, and the Ravens hired former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter as the new head coach. Flowers sees this as a fresh opportunity for the entire roster: "Everyone who didn't get a chance to prove themselves under Coach Harbaugh now has a new chance with Jesse 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 the sentiment, noting that the new coaching staff injected the energy the Ravens lacked last year. "I'm very excited.
Coach Minter brings a new vibe to the building. It feels like something the Ravens were missing, and we have it this year.
Everybody is on board with a solid plan." Historically, the Ravens have knocked on the Super Bowl door multiple times, falling in the divisional round three times since 2019 and suffering an AFC Championship loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2023 season. Yet the team remains a central figure in the AFC power balance, determined to challenge the Chiefs' dominance and vie for the championship again in 2026.
Flowers summed up the competitive atmosphere: "If you look around, you see Derrick Henry, then you look to your right and see Lamar Jackson. It makes you want to grind, to put your best foot forward. Great players push you to be the best version of yourself." For Wester, the upcoming season could be a breakout year. Drafted in the sixth round out of Colorado, he spent most of his rookie campaign as a return specialist.
Now, surrounded by veterans like Zay Flowers, Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson, he feels the pressure to elevate his game. "I'm a young guy, and seeing guys like Zay, Derrick, Lamar work hard every day makes me want to work even harder to impress them," he said.
"They're legends in my city. Being around them means you can't afford to mess up—you have to be on point and keep your ducks in a row." All signs point to a Ravens organization that is re‑energized, re‑strategized, and ready to unleash a refreshed Lamar Jackson. With a new coaching philosophy, a healthier quarterback, and a roster hungry for validation, Baltimore aims to rewrite its recent narrative and make a serious run at the Lombardi Trophy.
The upcoming season will be the ultimate test of whether Jackson's new version can translate into sustained success and finally deliver the championship that has eluded the franchise for years.