One of the top storylines entering the 2023 season for the Ravens is their new-look receiving corps. First-round rookie Zay Flowers will be counted on as a key member of the team’s passing game, and further details recently emerged regarding how the organization viewed him leading up to the draft.
Baltimore used the No. 22 pick on Flowers, making him one of four straight wideouts selected on Day 1. The Boston College product was the subject of trade talks with teams looking to move past the Ravens to secure Flowers, but general manager Eric DeCosta elected to remain in place. Part of the reason for doing so was his evaluation of the 5-10, 172-pounder in the winter.
After seeing Flowers in the East-West Shrine Bowl, the Ravens confirmed their thinking that Flowers was the top receiver in the draft, ESPN’s Jamison Hensley writes. That makes their decision to avoid trading down (despite not owning a 2023 second-round pick) clearer, and could add further to the expectations surrounding Flowers as a rookie. The 22-year-old has drawn rave reviews from local and national media alike, so he will be a player to watch closely once the regular season kicks off.
Here are some other wide receiver notes from around the league:
- Panthers rookie Jonathan Mingo is listed as a starter on the team’s first depth chart, as noted by Joe Person of The Athletic (subscription required). The latter adds that such a development is a slight surprise, given the relatively quiet offseason the second-rounder has had to date. If Mingo does indeed land a first-team spot amongst veterans Adam Thielen and DJ Chark, the likes of Laviska Shenault and Terrace Marshall would be relegated to backup duties. Shenault, a Swiss Army-type player since his arrival in the league with the Jaguars, is in line to handle more rushing duties this season. Marshall, meanwhile, is assured of a roster spot under new head coach Frank Reich after he played sparingly for much of his first two seasons in Carolina.
- The Broncos have once again been hit hard by availability issues at the receiver spot, including the Achilles tear suffered by Tim Patrick. The 29-year-old missed all of last season due to a torn ACL, and the same will hold true of the 2023 campaign. Fortunately, his recovery has started well. Patrick underwent successful surgery, as noted (on Twitter) by 9News’ Mike Klis. His ability to return to full health will be something to monitor closely, as he is under contract for 2024 but does not have any guaranteed compensation scheduled for that year.
- Second-year Seahawks wideout Cade Johnson suffered an injury scare during the team’s preseason opener on Thursday. He was taken to hospital for evaluation, but he has been released (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times). Johnson, 25, is still in concussion protocol, however, bringing his availability for the remainder of the preseason into question.