Zay Flowers Contract Extension Talk Heats Up as Lamar Jackson Calls His Value “Out of This World”

Zay Flowers is dominating the football conversation on social media this week, and it has nothing to do with a game. Contract extension buzz around the Baltimore Ravens wide receiver has exploded after quarterback Lamar Jackson publicly vouched for his top target’s value, and insiders believe a deal could be finalized before the 2026 season kicks off. With the wide receiver market resetting at a historic pace, Flowers finds himself at the center of one of the NFL’s most-watched offseason storylines.

Flowers arrived in Baltimore as the Ravens’ first-round pick in 2023 and has steadily developed into one of the league’s most productive route-runners. He became the first wide receiver in franchise history to earn back-to-back Pro Bowl selections, doing so in both 2024 and 2025. Last season was his best yet: 86 catches for a career-high 1,211 yards and five touchdowns, a workload that accounted for 36.9% of Baltimore’s total receiving yardage — the second-highest share by any player in the league behind Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Over his first three NFL seasons, Flowers has piled up 3,128 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns, numbers that place him among the most productive players from the loaded 2023 draft class alongside Smith-Njigba and the Rams’ Puka Nacua.

Lamar Jackson Puts His Weight Behind an Extension

The loudest voice pushing for a new Flowers deal has been Jackson himself. Speaking to reporters after Ravens minicamp, the two-time MVP didn’t hold back when asked about his top receiver’s worth to the offense. “We love Zay. We need Zay,” Jackson said. “He’s one of the best receivers in the league, and he’s shown that since he stepped on the NFL field back in 2023. His value is out of this world. That’s what I’d say.” Jackson went a step further when reporters questioned whether Flowers should be viewed as a true No. 1 receiver, firing back, “Zay Flowers is a 1,000-yard receiver in the NFL for a reason. I’m going to leave it at that.” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta has echoed that sentiment from the front-office side, telling 105.7 The Fan that contract talks are a “work in progress” but that he’s “optimistic” a long-term deal gets finalized. “I love Zay. Zay wants to be here. We want Zay here,” DeCosta said, crediting Flowers’ representation and vice president of football operations Nick Matteo for keeping negotiations moving.

What a New Deal Could Look Like

Any extension will be shaped by a wide receiver market that has shifted dramatically over the past few months. Smith-Njigba became the NFL’s highest-paid receiver in March at $42.15 million annually, and Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase sits just behind him. Atlanta’s Drake London reset the market again on June 2, signing a four-year, $141 million extension worth $35.26 million per year with $100 million guaranteed — a deal that’s become the direct comparison point for Flowers’ camp given the similarities in draft class, production, and team fit. ESPN’s Jamison Hensley has reported that a Flowers extension will likely land above $35 million per year, which would place him among the four highest-paid receivers in football alongside London and Justin Jefferson. The Ravens already exercised Flowers’ fifth-year option in April, locking him in for $27.298 million in 2027, but doing a long-term deal now would let Baltimore get ahead of a market that keeps climbing every time a comparable receiver signs. Hensley noted the timeline resembles last year’s extension for safety Kyle Hamilton, suggesting Baltimore could again get a deal done before Week 1. For bettors tracking Baltimore’s Super Bowl odds throughout the offseason, a locked-in Flowers only strengthens the passing attack Jackson will lean on all season. With training camp approaching and Flowers’ current rookie deal paying a fraction of his market value, the pressure is mounting on both sides to get an agreement finished before the games start to matter.