Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta opened training camp Thursday with a clear message about wide receiver Zay Flowers: a long-term contract extension is coming.
Speaking as camp opened, DeCosta addressed the ongoing negotiations directly, according to The Sporting News. "I love Zay. Zay wants to be here. We want Zay here," DeCosta said, per the Ravens' official website. "He's got a great agent in Joel Segal and Geoff Garmhausen. Those guys are really good agents. We've had good conversations. (Vice president of football operations) Nick Matteo does a phenomenal job negotiating. Certainly a work in progress; optimistic about it. I feel like at some point it gets done."
DeCosta did not stop there. "We love Zay. Zay is a phenomenal football player and his energy is infectious. I expect him to have a great year."
Flowers is currently under contract through the 2027 season after Baltimore exercised the fifth-year option on the former first-round pick earlier this offseason. That option is valued at $27.298 million. The Ravens retain roster control while negotiations on a longer deal continue, but the organization has reason to move quickly. Wide receiver contracts across the NFL have continued to climb, and locking up Flowers now could save the team money before the market rises further.
Flowers has produced back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons and made the Pro Bowl twice. In 2025, he caught 86 passes for a career-high 1,211 receiving yards and five touchdowns. He has become one of quarterback Lamar Jackson's primary targets and a central piece of Baltimore's offense.
Separately, the Ravens added depth on the offensive line. ESPN reported Friday that former Cleveland Browns center Ethan Pocic is signing a one-year deal with Baltimore. The signing addresses a positional need as the team heads into the early stages of camp.
DeCosta's public confidence in the Flowers negotiations signals that both sides remain willing, even if a deal is not yet finalized. The Ravens begin the regular season with one of the NFL's most dynamic offensive players still in the building and, if DeCosta is right, likely to stay there well beyond 2027.
