Ravens’ Eric DeCosta indicates push for Zay Flowers extension before the 2026 season

The Baltimore Ravens are aiming to reach a contract extension with wide receiver Zay Flowers before the 2026 season begins, according to recent comments from team general manager Eric DeCosta. DeCosta, speaking during an interview on 105.7 The Fan, said he “definitely” wants the Ravens to work out an extension for Flowers, framing the effort as something the organization expects to advance during the normal offseason window rather than leaving it for later.

Flowers and the Ravens have had a mutual interest in an extension for some time, the report noted. That matters because extensions for young stars typically reshape a team’s near-term salary planning, especially when an organization views a player as central to its offensive identity. Baltimore’s interest suggests the Ravens want to balance continuity with flexibility, keeping a key playmaker under team control beyond the current contract timeline.

The Ravens have not been described in the available reporting as in a rush to finalize a number, but the timing goal is clear: a deal could be put in place shortly, with the team hoping it is settled before Week 1 of the 2026 season. In NFL roster management, getting an extension done before the start of a new year can reduce uncertainty for both sides, allowing the player to focus fully on offseason development and the team to plan personnel and cap strategy with greater certainty.

For Baltimore, Flowers’ extension would also be a report to the rest of the roster about how the franchise values its offensive core. While the Ravens have multiple ways to build an attack, wide receiver remains a position where continuity can affect timing, route concepts, and overall chemistry with the quarterback. The longer a quarterback and receiver work within the same system, the more natural the reads and adjustments can become, particularly across the season’s early weeks.

Still, an extension is not guaranteed by public optimism. The only confirmation available here is DeCosta’s stated desire to pursue the deal and the reported mutual interest between Flowers and the team. Final terms, timing, and any counterproposals are not detailed in the reporting provided, so the next key development will be whether negotiations reach a point where both sides agree on structure and value that align with the Ravens’ long-term cap picture.

As the 2026 offseason progresses, watch for the Ravens to set additional markers, including whether the team and Flowers’ representatives converge on language that allows an extension to be completed ahead of the regular season. If the Ravens do land a deal before kickoff, it would become one of the franchise’s most important offseason stability moves. If talks extend deeper into the offseason, the situation could become something to monitor again as camp and preseason approach.

If no agreement is reached on the originally targeted timeline, the storyline would likely shift to what happens next in negotiations and whether either side adjusts approach. In the NFL, extensions can be delayed for reasons that range from negotiating leverage to differences in perceived market value, and the Ravens’ public comments would then take on a different meaning: not just intention, but a report about where talks currently stand.