The wide receiver market has officially gotten out of control.
The Baltimore Ravens have agreed to a four-year, $140 million extension with Zay Flowers, including a staggering $108 million guaranteed. At $35 million per season, Flowers is now tied with Justin Jefferson for the fourth-highest average annual salary among NFL wide receivers.
There’s just one problem: Zay Flowers does not produce like a $35 million receiver.
Look at his first three seasons:
- 2023: 77 receptions, 858 yards, 5 TDs
- 2024: 74 receptions, 1,059 yards, 4 TDs
- 2025: 86 receptions, 1,211 yards, 5 TDs
Flowers is a very good player. He’s made consecutive Pro Bowls, posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and just set Baltimore’s single-season franchise record with 1,211 receiving yards.
But $35 million per year?
That’s superstar money.
Flowers has never reached 1,300 receiving yards. He’s never caught more than five touchdowns in a season. He’s never reached 90 receptions. Yet Baltimore just handed him a contract with the same $35 million annual value as Justin Jefferson’s current deal.
And that’s where the Ravens deserve criticism.
You can argue that the exploding receiver market forced Baltimore’s hand and that $35 million might look more reasonable a few years from now. That’s fair. Flowers is also only 25 and could still have his best football ahead of him.
But contracts should still have some relationship with production.
$140 million with $108 million guaranteed should be reserved for a receiver who terrifies defenses every Sunday and consistently puts up elite numbers. Flowers hasn’t proven he’s that guy yet.
Baltimore didn’t make a mistake by keeping Zay Flowers.
They made a mistake by paying a very good receiver like he’s already an elite one.
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