The Ravens have made a pair of veteran additions to their receiver room this offseason, but they continue to look into the top options at the position in this year’s draft class.
That will include hosting Zay Flowers on a top-30 visit tomorrow, per NFL Network’s Taylor Bisciotti (Twitter link). The Boston College product has had a busy schedule already, which comes as no surprise given his status as one of the top vertical threats in particular amongst other first-round prospects in the 2023 class.
Flowers has already met with the Giants, Raiders, Cowboys, Patriots and Saints. It came out recently that he will also visit the Bills, a team which, like the Ravens, has been connected to a notable receiver addition during this month’s draft. Baltimore has already added Nelson Agholor and Odell Beckham Jr. as veteran signings aimed at boosting their underwhelming passing attack.
Each of those pacts were one year in length, though, so a long-term investment at the position could still pay dividends for the Ravens. Baltimore owns pick No. 22, which could put them in range to land one of the first-round WR locks in this year’s class, one noted more for its depth than its star power. In addition to Flowers, they have also looked at Jordan Addison as well as Quentin Johnston and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who are all likely to hear their names called on Day 1.
Flowers put himself in the conversation for the top wideout this year after he set new career highs in 2022, his fourth season with the Eagles. The 5-10, 177-pounder totaled 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns on 78 catches, demonstrating his abilities both on the outside and in the slot. It is the latter alignment which is likeliest for Flowers at the NFL level, though, albeit one which should allow him to provide value at all levels of the field.
Despite the continued need for a young receiver this year, the Ravens have recently been linked to using their top pick on a corner. That position is certainly one of need at the moment, but addressing it would significantly decrease the high-end pass catching options available to them later in the draft. As a result of the Roquan Smith trade, Baltimore doesn’t own a second-rounder and their highest pick after the first round is No. 86. Flowers will be long gone by that point, but the Ravens will do their due diligence on him as they prepare for, in all likelihood, a rookie wideout addition at some point in the near future.
In Maryland the Ravens are seeing FLOWERS !!
WR1
So get rid of Hollywood, to grab another small, fast guy?
I’m sorry but his comp is Travis Benjamin. That’s a no for me buddy. He won’t be there in the third and won’t be worth a first. Let’s just pass on that guy.
Not a Ravens fan but I think Flowers is a reach in the first. Take a corner. Taking small slot receivers in the first round is always a bad idea.