Ravens training camp observations Day 18: A day of following Zay Flowers

A day of shadowing the Ravens’ grinagog.

The past 17 practices, I’ve spent each moment scanning the field for 91 players, reporting attendance, tracking passes, down and distance, receptions, defenders, which quarterback threw each pass, how the offensive and defensive lines skirmished and pestering fellow media members when I didn’t have a proper vantage point. Today was a change of pace.

Along the sideline, early on the practice field—per usual— was second-year wide receiver Zay Flowers, knelt on hands and knees stretching out his back and limbering up for the upcoming 150-minute practice, the wideout worked alongside a trainer and wide receivers Coach Greg Lewis. The practice was the first not spent in pads in nearly a week, meaning Flowers was in for some cardio work. Here are my findings from a day spent shadowing the Ravens’ grinagog.

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• At 1:20, Flowers went through his series of stretches. A few Cat-camels before pacing along the sideline with high-knees, hip-flexor stretches and practiced jab steps. He was methodical and intentional with each exercise. A routine he’s had since joining the Ravens, and possibly prior at Boston College. Playing music on the sideline, waving to children screaming for him to look in their direction from the bleachers mere yards away.
• After 20 minutes of warmups on the sideline while Special Teams Coordinator Chris Horton barked orders to his unit and ran drills, Flowers began passing the ball back-and-forth with a trainer, securing the ball with each catch in different arms before sending it back. Then joined Lewis, sending him 20-yards downfield, floating him passes to haul in over the shoulder. When one was mildly off-target, he jested with his coach about the throw. The two critiqued each other’s throwing, and it became a contest of who could throw the ball to their open hands, be it at their chest, off to the side or down low.
• At 1:45, fans were at the railing of the bleachers screaming for his attention. One drew his gaze when they repeatedly screamed, “I’m wearing your jersey!” He tossed the ball to the child’s mother. In return, she gave it to her daughter in a purple No. 4 jersey to toss it back, and the young girl delivered it to his palms and grinned with glee.
• A moment later, the horn sounded to begin individual work. Flowers pulled the white shiesty—or balaclava over his head, strapped on his helmet and lined up for the first individual drill of practice.

• Flowers proceeds to work through drills. But in between reps, he and wide receiver Deonte Harty banter with one another. Harty makes a comment; Flowers retorts. It continues in the line after each rep until they move to a new station for work. Then, Flowers, after wide receiver Sean Ryan delivers a great rep in drills and follows up with an extended grab, trots over to his teammate and starts giving nickname suggestions. He smiles after each one and looks for Ryan’s reaction.
• The fun continues when Flowers begins practicing the on-beat Tik Tok Trend. A teammate joins in while they wait for quarterbacks to jog over and begin their routes and receiving work. By my estimation, Flowers nailed the “on-beat challenge.”
• Flowers catches each ball tossed to him in the drills. His smiling nature shifts to business when he’s one snap from his next rep. He takes instruction on the route he’ll be running and takes off with speed and agility.
• Another horn, and 11-on-11s begin. Flowers plays a total of five reps, gets open twice, but the ball doesn’t head his way. In between, he rehydrates, reapplies the shiesty and gets back into line beside Lewis waiting for his next rep. Another rep he runs against cornerback Brandon Stephens who sticks beside Flowers’ hip. Another rep he goes vertical but isn’t the target. On the eighth rep, Flowers finds himself one-on-one with Stephens downfield and Lamar Jackson airs it out. There’s contact well before the ball arrives. Flowers goes up, Stephens has position and the ball hits the grass, followed by a yellow flag calling Stephens for pass interference.
• Following the rep, Flowers trots back behind the offense, aligned across the field and finds the cart holding the tablets, where Jackson is standing. The two discuss the rep, both sharing what they were thinking. Flowers expresses his thoughts physically, lifting his arm to describe where he was thinking the ball should go. Jackson follows suit, detailing his thoughts. The two part a few moments later as the starters return to the drill.
• Flowers makes his first catch at the line of scrimmage, but a defender is there to stop him for no gain. It’s his first catch in team drills, but no yardage was gained. He runs another route the next play but isn’t the intended target. Back to hydrating and fixing his head apparel. Nine reps, one catch, no yards, but a 30-yard flag and a fresh set of downs will do.
• Next come seven-on-seven work, and on the first rep Flowers attempts to gash a cornerback’s coverage with a double-move. He fails to bait the cornerback and the ball sails to the opposite side. His next rep he breaks loose from cornerback Marlon Humphrey, but the ball heads downfield instead. His third rep he sprints downfield against Stephens and Jackson throws his way. The pass is incomplete as Stephens stays stride for stride with Flowers. This time, no flag is thrown. More cardio on his final rep of the drills where he blisters past a safety but it’s too late as Jackson found another open pass-catcher.
• Flowers and Jackson reconvene once more for a few minutes. Another horn. The starters all return for more 11-on-11. Flowers runs two more routes and is not the intended target for either.
• On the third rep, Flowers runs a route and finds himself wide open. Coverage nowhere in sight. Jackson finds him as the pocket collapses for an easy reception. Flowers makes the easy grab and sprints the rest of the way with only one defender in his vicinity, who is sealed off by wide receiver Nelson Agholor’s downfield block for a 50-yard touchdown.
• Nearly two hours into practice, Zay gets back on the field for four reps. He blocks, he runs route, he clears out to make for another intended pass-catcher. On the final rep, he gets a step on safety Ar’Darius Washington but the ball goes off his fingertips as he crosses the field and it goes incomplete. He goes to the sideline for minute, then jogs back into the huddle.
• Flowers’ next step sees open field as the defense sent a blitz. Jackson throws to him deep downfield and just before the ball lands in his arms, safety Kyle Hamilton, who had missed yesterday’s practice after an injury scare on Sunday, leaps up and backward to breakup the reception, nearly intercepting the ball. Flowers jogs back and Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken brings him over to talk about the rep. In similar fashion to Flowers gesturing his idea to Jackson an hour earlier, Monken does the same, pointing with his arms how he should’ve ran the route. Flowers nods and goes through the motion stationary beside Monken before the conversation ends.
• At 3:16, Flowers again delivers a rep finding himself wide open, capitalized in my notes. Jackson found him and the chains move 30 yards ahead. It’s his last catch of the day, though he takes more snaps. He ends the practice with 80 yards and a touchdown, and another 30-yards by way drawing pass interference. Possibly more, as the sideline became packed with excited children waiting for practice to conclude and get their chance at player autographs. The team go through a few red zone drills at half-speed as I make my way over to the podium for the post-practice press conference. With 20 minutes before practice was scheduled to end, the Ravens concluded their day’s work, and with it, my day of following Flowers.

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In all, I counted 27 reps from Flowers in team drills. He scored, he flipped the field and he gets one day closer to Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs.