BALTIMORE — The first day of the 2023 NFL draft started off to a bang, not with a blockbuster trade but rather with the news that Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens agreed to a five-year contract extension which will make him the highest-paid player in the league.
The agreement is worth $260 million, including $185 million guaranteed according to ESPN.
Jackson was trying to top the $230 million in guaranteed money given to Deshaun Watson, but instead was able to secure a massive payday while representing himself in negotiations.
The Ravens not only secured their long term future at quarterback by inking Jackson to an extension, they gave him another weapon on offense by selecting Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers with the 22nd pick on Thursday.
Locked on Ravens host Kevin Oestreicher believes Baltimore already won the weekend with the Jackson extension, but is happy to see the team give him more help out wide.
"You have a [wide receiver] room now with Odell Beckham, Rashod Bateman, Zay Flowers...it's a devastating route running trio," Oestreicher said. "Those guys all know how to run routes, how to get open. In order for Lamar to be as effective as we want him to be, he has to have a good group of receivers around him."
Flowers posted monster numbers as a senior in 2022, hauling in 78 receptions for 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Eagles. He is a tad undersized at 5'10, but his crisp route running, game changing speed, and improvement fighting for the football should allow him to carve out a role in Baltimore right away.