Ravens Likely To Pick Up Zay Flowers’ 5th-Year Option
The NFL released the official figures for the fifth-year options of players selected in the first round of the 2023 draft. Teams now have until May 1 to decide on those options for the 2027 season.
The most expensive fifth-year option from the 2023 draft class does not belong to a quarterback, as none of the three selected in the first four picks – Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, and Anthony Richardson – reached one Pro Bowl in their first three seasons. Young and Stroud only met the playtime requirements for the second-tier option, which comes in at $25.9MM for quarterbacks. Richardson did not even get that far, but his $22.5MM will still be a non-starter for the Colts.
Instead, Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers has the NFL’s highest price tag for his 2027 option. Pro Bowl nods in each of the last two seasons pushed him into the highest tier, but the Ravens are still expected to pick up his $27.3MM fifth-year option, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano. At the moment, that would be the 13th-highest AAV of any wide receiver, though more are sure to eclipse that figure in the meantime.
Flowers is arguably already worth almost $30MM per year. After strong performances in his first two seasons, he exploded in 2025 and ranked seventh in the NFL with 1,211 receiving yards and 11th with 86 receptions. He also recorded career-highs in yards per target (10.3) and passer rating when targeted (112.6). Flowers did all this despite missing Lamar Jackson for more than four games and the rest of the offense putting up their worst performance in years.
Currently, the receiver market tops out at Ja’Marr Chase‘s $40.25MM per year with seven other making between $30MM and $35MM annually. That will briefly drop to six once the 49ers part ways with Brandon Aiyuk but should soon shoot back up as players like Drake London, Chris Olave, and George Pickens sign long-term deals. By the time 2027 rolls around, $27.3MM will look like a steal for Flowers, especially if he takes another step forward under new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle.
Flowers’ fifth-year option will also establish a solid floor for a long-term extension, as players rarely sign long-term deals with a lower AAV then their fifth-year option. However, it also limits the amount Flowers can earn in the next two years to a little less than $30MM, including his 2026 salary. The Ravens can offer him a much stronger two-year cash flow with an extension later this offseason, and the money up front might incentivize him to make a deal.
The Ravens are typically a deadline team, so do not an expect an official announcement on Flowers’ fifth-year option until after the draft.
Offseason Outlook: Baltimore Ravens
After missing the playoffs for the first time since 2021, the Ravens made arguably the biggest move of the 2026 offseason: firing longtime head coach John Harbaugh. He spent the past 18 years in Baltimore, compiling a 180-113 (.614) record with 12 playoff appearances and a Super Bowl victory. But Harbaugh could not bring another Lombardi Trophy to Baltimore in seven seasons with Lamar Jackson starting at quarterback, and owner Steve Bisciotti felt he had to make a change.
The Ravens then embarked on an exhaustive search process to find just the fourth head coach in franchise history. Led by general manager Eric DeCosta, the team interviewed 16 candidates with Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter emerging as the man for the job. Now, the two will work together to quickly bring Baltimore back into Super Bowl contention. DeCosta has a number of key contract situations to address, while Minter will be tasked with getting the most out of the current roster. The Ravens' top priority should be getting stronger in the trenches, the primary source of their on-field issues in 2025.
Coaching/front office:
- Fired head coach John Harbaugh
- Hired Jesse Minter as HC replacement
- Added Declan Doyle as offensive coordinator
- Reunited with Anthony Weaver as defensive coordinator
- Promoted Anthony Levine Sr. to special teams coordinator
- Added Joe Lombardi as senior offensive assistant
- Hired Marcus Brady as pass-game coordinator
- Brought in Israel Woolfork as quarterbacks coach
- Dwayne Ledford hired as offensive line coach
- Rick Minter hired as defensive analyst
- Giants hired Harbaugh as their new HC
- Browns hired OC Todd Monken as their new HC
Firing Harbaugh brought a major paradigm shift in Baltimore, a moment that may well define the franchise for years to come. A 1-5 start from a team with Super Bowl expectations would put most head coaches on the hot seat, but Harbaugh was not most head coaches. After almost two decades with the Ravens, during which time he developed close relationships with Bisciotti and DeCosta, he was thought to be untouchable.
Ravens Have Submitted Market-Topping Offer To C Tyler Linderbaum
MARCH 1: As ESPN’s Dan Graziano notes, many observers believe Linderbaum will manage to surpass $20MM per year on his next contract. Whether or not the Ravens’ top offer is that valuable remains to be seen, and in any case it could be surpassed by outside bids soon provided Linderbaum reaches free agency.
FEBRUARY 24: Aside from lowering Lamar Jackson‘s cap charge for 2026, the Ravens’ No. 1 priority is retaining Tyler Linderbaum. The top pending free agent at the center position (and many others) is in line for a massive raise regardless of where it comes from. 
Baltimore made the expected move of declining Linderbaum’s fifth-year option last spring, setting up the need for a long-term pact to be worked out ahead of free agency. When speaking to reporters at the Combine on Tuesday, general manager Eric DeCosta made another unsurprising announcement by stating (via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic) the transition and franchise tags will not be in play in this case. Tags group all O-linemen together for valuation purposes, making them feasible for tackles but rare in the case of interior blockers.
That leaves a long-term commitment as the path forward with respect to Linderbaum, who is open to re-signing. DeCosta has been clear about a mutual desire existing for a new pact, and on Tuesday he made a notable but not unexpected revelation. The Ravens have submitted a “market-setting” offer to Linderbaum’s camp, DeCosta said (h/t Zrebiec). The top of the center market reached $18MM per year when Creed Humphrey signed his Chiefs extension in 2024.
The NFL’s salary cap saw another jump after that pact was signed, and a surge past $300MM is expected when the 2026 figure is finalized. That leaves Linderbaum as an obvious candidate to surpass Humphrey in terms of AAV. The Chiefs Pro Bowler secured over $50MM in new guarantees on his extension, with $35MM of that figure fully guaranteed at signing. It would stand to reason Baltimore’s latest offer surpasses each of those figures, but further details on the Linderbaum negotiations will be worth watching for in any event.
Daniel Faalele has operated as the Ravens’ starting right guard for each of the past two years, but he is a pending free agent. The team could also look to upgrade from left guard Andrew Vorhees as a starter, so losing Linderbaum on the open market would leave open the possibility of three replacements being sought out this spring. Baltimore will look to avoid such a scenario, but it remains to be seen if the ongoing efforts to work out a deal will be sufficient to reach an agreement.
2026 NFL Offseason Outlook Series
Pro Football Rumors is breaking down how all 32 teams’ offseason blueprints are shaping up. Going forward, the Offseason Outlook series is exclusive to Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers, and that link provides details on how to sign up for an annual membership.
Here are PFR’s 2026 rundowns of the 32 teams’ offseason blueprints:
AFC East
AFC North
AFC South
AFC West
NFC East
NFC North
NFC South
NFC West
AFC Staff Updates: McSorley, Ravens, Raiders
Former backup NFL quarterback Trace McSorley has continued his transition to the coaching world. After working last year as assistant quarterbacks coach at his alma mater, Penn State, McSorley has earned his first NFL coaching job as an offensive assistant with the Bills, per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.
A former sixth-round pick for the Ravens in 2019, McSorley enjoyed a short career as a backup quarterback in Baltimore and Arizona. Over six years in the NFL, McSorley made one start in nine game appearances. He completed 48 of 93 pass attempts for 412 passing yards, one touchdown, and five interceptions in his career as a player.
With former offensive coordinator Joe Brady getting promoted to head coach, McSorley will join the team of coaches working with star quarterback Josh Allen in 2026. He joins newly hired quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree, who came over from Tennessee earlier this month, and newly promoted assistant quarterbacks coach Kyle Shurmur, who served as an offensive quality control coach in Buffalo last year.
Here are a couple other minor staff updates from around the AFC:
- In Baltimore, the Ravens are reportedly set to add Matt O’Donnell to their staff on defense, according to Zenitz. Previously an assistant linebackers coach in Miami, O’Donnell is expected to assume the same role after following defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver to the Ravens.
- Lastly, ESPN’s Seth Walder reported this week that the Raiders have hired Rohit Mogalayapalli away from the Texans. During his time in Houston, Mogalayapalli served as assistant director of special projects and game management. He now joins the fast-growing staff of new head coach Klint Kubiak in Las Vegas.
Ravens Still Hope To Retain TE Isaiah Likely
Despite signing Mark Andrews during the season, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said (via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec) that the team would still like to retain Isaiah Likely.
The 25-year-old tight end is coming off a disappointing season with career-lows in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. He was in extension negotiations with the Ravens last summer, but broke his foot early in training camp before the two sides could make a deal. Likely struggled to make a consistent impact upon his return, though 2025 was a down year for the Ravens offense across the board.
The Ravens’ tight end depth, strong running game, and targets funneled to wide receiver Zay Flowers all limited Likely’s volume in Baltimore. But the 2022 fourth-rounder’s efficiency and red zone effectiveness compare to some of the top tight ends in the NFL, indicating he would have a much higher ceiling as a TE1 on another team. He was expected to have a strong market heading into his contract year, but his down seasons may have reduced his value.
Likely’s chemistry with Lamar Jackson, growth as a blocker, and ability to exploit mismatches are among the many reasons for the Ravens to re-sign him. New offensive coordinator Declan Doyle will likely use multiple tight ends as his mentor Ben Johnson did in Chicago and Detroit, but the Ravens offense already used heavy personnel at one of the highest rates in the league during Likely’s rookie contract. It may not be wise to sign a second tight end to a starting-level salary without a corresponding amount of targets available.
As a result, Likely seems like a luxury the Ravens cannot afford with so many other players on expensive deals. The team will reduce Jackson’s $72.5MM cap hit via an extension or restructure, but their priority should be addressing the trenches on both sides of the ball.
It might make more sense for DeCosta to keep Charlie Kolar, who was drafted 11 picks before Likely in 2022. Kolar emerged as a key blocker over the last three years and still has untapped receiving potential. He could be retained in a smaller role on a cheaper deal, though capable run-blocking tight ends can still earn good money in the NFL. Former Raven Josh Oliver received a $7MM APY deal from the Vikings in 2023 despite little receiving production during his previous two years in Baltimore. As with Likely, the Ravens may not have a big enough role for Kolar to justify a second contract.
DeCosta was also asked about defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, who suffered a season-ending neck injury in Week 2, but he did not offer any updates regarding his status. Concern about Madubuike’s long-term future in the NFL has persisted since he went down in September with the Ravens declining to comment on specifics about the injury or a return timline.
New head coach Jesse Minter did say (via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio) that he talked to Madubuike – who was drafted in the final year of Minter’s first stint in Baltimore – at the team facility in recent weeks, adding that the 28-year-old was in “great spirits.”
Madubuike’s absence had a huge impact on the Ravens defense in 2025. Their pass rush virtually fell apart without their most productive interior rusher, and their run defense was not as dominant as in years past.
However, DeCosta does not expect the uncertainty around Madubuike would not significantly affect their offseason plans.
“I think if we have the chance to draft a great defensive tackle, of course we will,” he said. “It is one of the most important positions in football.”
DeCosta also downplayed the financial impact of Madubuike’s situation, but the veteran defensive linemen is still owed $22MM in guaranteed salary with a $30.975MM cap hit, per OverTheCap. The Ravens can restructure his deal to push money into the future, but his contract will still factor into the team’s cap picture for the next few years.
Chargers C Bradley Bozeman Announces Retirement
After eight seasons in the NFL, Chargers center Bradley Bozeman is hanging up his cleats. The 31-year-old announced his retirement on Instagram on Monday (via Adam Schefter of ESPN).
The Chargers were the third team for Bozeman, an Alabama product who entered the league as a sixth-round pick of the Ravens in 2018. With Matt Skura then serving as the Ravens’ center, Bozeman’s lone start during a 14-game rookie season came at left guard. Bozeman became a full-time starter at left guard in 2019, his first of three straight 16-game seasons.
After Skura left the Ravens to sign with the Dolphins in 2021, Bozeman switched back to center. It turned out to be the last season in Baltimore for Bozeman, who accepted Carolina’s one-year offer in 2022.
Although Bozeman only started in 11 of 17 games in his first season in Carolina, he was impressive enough for the Panthers to bring him back on a three-year, $18MM contract. The 325-pounder notched a 17-start season in the first year of the deal, but the Panthers released him in March 2024.
A week after his Carolina tenure ended, Bozeman moved to the West Coast on a one-year agreement with the Chargers. Bozeman made just over $1.1MM during another 17-start season, leading the Chargers to award him a raise on a two-year, $6.5MM accord last March.
While Bozeman was again a full-time starter over 16 games in 2025, Pro Football Focus ranked his performance last among 37 qualifying centers. His struggles were among a handful of problems up front for the Chargers, who went without injured left tackle Rashawn Slater for the season and didn’t have right tackle Joe Alt for most of it. As a result of the Chargers’ O-line woes, quarterback Justin Herbert took the league’s second-most sacks (54).
The Chargers may have been in the market for a center this offseason had Bozeman kept playing in 2026. They definitely will be now that Bozeman is walking away after 129 games and 110 starts in the league. His exit will clear the way for yet another new starting pivot for the Chargers. The Bolts have not used the same primary starting center for three straight years since longtime staple Nick Hardwick retired in 2014.
TE Isaiah Likely Open To New Ravens Deal
Isaiah Likely has flashed potential while playing out his rookie contract. A first career trip to free agency looms, but remaining in place with the Ravens could still be on the table.
Selected in the fourth round of the 2022 draft, Likely emerged as a regular contributor on offense in Baltimore. His most productive season came in 2024 with a 42-477-6 statline. Likely was expected to take another step forward in his walk year, but a preseason foot injury resulted in missed time in the fall. While slowly working his way back to full strength, he managed only 27 receptions and a single score.
Still, Likely could easily generate a strong market in free agency. The 25-year-old could be viewed as an option for an outside team’s primary pass-catching tight end role, something which could price him out of Baltimore. The Ravens signed Mark Andrews to a new deal in December, ensuring the top of their depth chart at the position will remain unchanged through 2026 and beyond. Likely may well need to head elsewhere to take on a full-time starting role as a result.
“With my agent, what I told him was I just want to be able to blossom,” Likely said during an appearance on the Gruden Goes Long podcast. “The last couple years, I’ve had a great vet in Mark Andrews, where he taught me everything to be a star-caliber tight end to the point where it’s like now I just want to be on a team where I can get out there and help a quarterback, help a team be able to put as much points on the board as possible.”
Likely has recorded a catch percentage of at least 72.4% in each of the past three years, and for his career he has averaged 11.6 yards per reception. Interested teams could thus see the Coastal Carolina product as a candidate to break out with an elevated workload. Likely said he is open to re-signing with the Ravens – something which would see him continue to share snaps with Andrews – but added “business is business.”
Baltimore has Andrews along with wideout Rashod Bateman under contract for multiple years. Zay Flowers is coming off his second straight 1,000-yard campaign, and 2026 marks the first offseason in which he is eligible for an extension. Making a big-money commitment to Flowers could leave Baltimore short on available funds in terms of pass-catching options, making Likely a name to watch as free agency approaches.
Ravens Hope To Re-Sign Tyler Linderbaum
As free agency approaches, Tyler Linderbaum remains one of the top players on track to reach the open market. The Pro Bowl center is still in Baltimore’s plans at this point, though. 
Last spring, the Ravens declined Linderbaum’s fifth-year option. That move came as little surprise since option values are determined by grouping together all offensive linemen. The same is also true of the franchise tag, leaving it as an unfeasible means of Baltimore keeping Linderbaum in the fold. Whether or not a long-term deal can be worked out over the coming weeks remains to be seen.
“We’ve got some work to do on Tyler Linderbaum’s contract,” general manager Eric DeCosta acknowledged during an appearance on the Inner Circle podcast (video link). “He’s a free agent. We strongly hope to have him back. He’s a great player for us and a great leader.”
Linderbaum expressed a desire to remain in Baltimore shortly after the team’s 2025 season ended. Based on DeCosta’s comments, the feeling is mutual. Baltimore has other matters to attend to from a financial standpoint in time for free agency, however. The most pressing one is a restructuring of quarterback Lamar Jackson‘s contract; until and unless that takes place, the Ravens’ cap flexibility will be unclear. The team’s ability to authorize a major Linderbaum extension will hinge in large part on its success in carving out space for 2026.
Seven centers are currently attached to an average annual value of at least $10MM. That list will soon grow, as Linderbaum is a strong candidate to reset the market. The Iowa product could easily top $18MM per year, which is the value of Creed Humphrey‘s Chiefs pact. Entering his age-26 season and having missed only two games so far in his career, Linderbaum will have no shortage of suitors if he tests the open market.
The Ravens may have a veteran contingency in place in the form of Connor McGovern should Linderbaum head elsewhere in March. Their preference would no doubt be to maintain the status quo at the center spot, and it will be interesting to see if progress at the negotiating table can be made shortly.
TE Isaiah Likely Expected To Depart Ravens?
Isaiah Likely has spent the first four seasons of his career serving as a key backup in Baltimore. Instead of seeing the former fourth-round pick eventually emerge as a full-time starter, the Ravens may watch the tight end leave via free agency.
Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic writes that the Ravens have made no progress in their efforts to extend Likely over the past eight months. Over that span, the team also recommitted to Mark Andrews. As a result, it’s seeming likelier than not that Likely will depart via free agency.
While Likely has served as Andrews’ backup for much of his Ravens tenure, he’s still seen a significant role in the offense. He had his best two showings between 2023 and 2024, when he hauled in 72 total catches for 888 yards and 11 touchdowns in 33 games. Thanks to Andrews’ leg injury in 2023, Likely actually outsnapped his teammate, and the TE duo was basically splitting reps in 2024.
Following Andrews’ continued drop in production and his playoff mishaps, there was a belief that Likely could take a step forward in 2025. Instead, the tight end was hampered by a training camp foot injury, and he ultimately finished the campaign with career-lows across the board (27 catches, 307 yards, one touchdown). At the same time, Likely lost a career-high two fumbles.
Then, in sudden December move, the Ravens inked Andrews to a three-year, $39.3MM extension. That contract places Andrews sixth at the position in average annual value, and as Zrebiec notes, the Ravens may find that it’s “extremely hard … to have two guys making top-eight tight end money.” Even with Likely’s limited track record, he seems destined to earn at least $10MM a year, which would tie for the 14th-highest AAV among tight ends. That may be untenable for a Baltimore squad that needs to fill multiple holes this offseason.
On the flip side, the Ravens have shown a willingness to extend Likely, and they’ve surely considered a scenario where they continue to roster both of their tight ends. Further, Zrebiec notes that Likely has a strong relationship with quarterback Lamar Jackson, who will continue to serve as a strong voice in the organization.
Likely enters a relatively deep free agent class that also features the likes of Kyle Pitts and Dallas Goedert. Likely’s youth and hypothetical upside should still make him a popular name, and that could ultimately spell the end of his tenure in Baltimore.