The Baltimore Ravens are not letting their top target get anywhere near the open market. On Thursday, the team picked up the fifth-year option on wide receiver Zay Flowers' rookie contract, a move that locks the two-time Pro Bowler into Baltimore through the 2027 season and guarantees him roughly $27.3 million for that option year while both sides sort out a potential long-term deal.
Ravens confirm pick-up
The club's official site confirmed that Baltimore is exercising the option and that the decision keeps Flowers under contract through 2027, citing a report from The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec, according to Baltimore Ravens. The team post highlights Zrebiec calling the move "as expected" and makes it clear this gives both the front office and Flowers some breathing room to talk about a longer agreement rather than rushing into it.
What the option pays
The fifth-year option is a one-year guarantee worth roughly $27.3 million in 2027, a figure that matches the contract tracking listed by Spotrac. Under the NFL's collective bargaining agreement, the option falls into tiered compensation levels and converts to a fully guaranteed salary once it is exercised, as outlined by Over The Cap.
Flowers' production
Flowers, 25, has grown into Baltimore's primary receiving threat, stacking back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2024 and 2025 and finishing last season with 86 receptions for a franchise-record 1,211 yards. Over his first three seasons, his totals sit at 237 catches for 3,128 yards and 14 touchdowns, per NFL.com.
Market pressure and next steps
The broader wide receiver market shifted earlier this spring when Jaxon Smith-Njigba agreed to a four-year, $168.6 million extension, a deal that will loom over Flowers' negotiations and Baltimore's cap strategy, according to CBS Sports. Teams had until May 1 to decide on fifth-year options for 2023 first-round picks, and Baltimore moved before that deadline to protect its leverage.
For the Ravens, the decision secures an elite homegrown target while preserving some roster flexibility. The front office can try to hammer out a longer contract that spreads out the cap hit, or let the option year play out and revisit extension talks next offseason.
For Flowers, the option guarantees a hefty payday on the horizon and sets a clear timeline for pushing for a richer multi-year deal. Expect extension chatter to heat up over the coming months as both sides juggle market comparables, the draft and future cap projections, and as fans watch to see whether Baltimore adds more pass-catching help around its star wideout.
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