He may not be a true No. 1 wide receiver just yet, but Zay Flowers is still the go-to target for the Baltimore Ravens in a niche area.
Flowers has special skills that make him one of the best in the NFL getting open and catching passes when his quarterback is under pressure. That’s according to numbers from Lauren Gray of Pro Football Focus.
Gray credited Flowers with “36 targets when his quarterback was under pressure last season (eighth most), and he hauled in 15 for 264 yards and a touchdown. All of his catches moved the chains, with nearly half (seven) gaining 15 or more yards. He also finished with the second-highest deep target rate in pressure situations (38.9%).”
Being a chain-mover and legitimate vertical threat is a credit to Flowers’ versatile skill-set. Yet, what’s more telling is how often franchise QB Lamar Jackson is looking toward Flowers whenever he gets into trouble.
Those numbers are adding up to Flowers being able to overtake some established names and intriguing athletes as the focal point of Baltimore’s passing game.
Zay Flowers the Ultimate ‘Safety Blanket’
Gray has good reason to put Flowers among the league’s premier ‘safety-blanket WRs.’ The reason is in the numbers, like how “Flowers has racked up 66 pressured targets in his first two seasons, logging 32 catches for 587 yards and four touchdowns. He ranks in the top 10 in targets and receiving yards across that span. He has gained 29 first downs and earned a 76.0 PFF receiving grade on those plays.”
Stats like those owe a lot to how Flowers run his routes. Nuance and athleticism define how he attacks coverage and creates ways to stay open for his quarterback.
As Oceanside High receivers coach Mike Vannucci highlighted, Flowers manages to “Consistently minimizes loss in speed. Plays a big role in why he is near the league lead in YAC again; keeps speed & stride length through the reception as well.”
Subtle movements like these are why Flowers finds space so often. It’s a trait summed up by his 40.3 percent win rate vs. man coverage and 56.9 against zone, per Player Profiler.
Being able to win in both underneath and vertical areas makes Flowers invaluable to a QB who can extend plays as well as Jackson. The perfect combination of the two-time NFL MVP beating pressure and finding his most clutch receiver deep occurred during the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs two seasons ago, resulting in a 30-yard touchdown pass.
Jackson can’t ignore Flowers because the latter can stretch the field like this, but he’s also a slot receiver-type with the shiftiness to dominate underneath. It’s a rare combination that puts Flowers in the pole position among Jackson’s targets.
Clear No. 1 Receiver Emerging for Ravens
The rare range in his game puts Flowers ahead of tight ends Mark Andrews and the All-Pro’s roving challenger Isaiah Likely as Jackson’s main clutch target. Flowers can also stay ahead of more high-profile wideouts on the roster.
Players like contract hero Rashod Bateman, who is helping change the narrative about the position in Baltimore. He’ll ensure the team’s wide receivers get more attention this season and so will the arrival of five-time Pro Bowler DeAndre Hopkins, but even a new role for the decorated veteran won’t undermine the importance of Flowers.
His target share could be impacted by Jackson having a growing number of playmakers to aim for, but the star signal-caller is unlikely to look away from the receiver he’s most comfortable with under pressure.
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