BEYOND THE CATCH: WHY PICKING UP ZAY FLOWERS’ OPTION WAS THE RAVENS' EASIEST CHOICE
The Baltimore Ravens officially pick up Zay Flowers' fifth-year option as the Jesse Minter era begins under centre.
The Baltimore Ravens are stepping into a new chapter. After years with John Harbaugh at the helm, they’ve moved on and handed the reins to Jesse Minter, who ran the Chargers’ defence last season.
Harbaugh’s off to the New York Giants now, which leaves Minter in charge of finding a way to get the most out of a Ravens roster that’s still loaded with talent. The front office has work to do, plugging some holes and adding a few pieces, but the foundation’s already there.
One guy who’s become a big part of that is Zay Flowers. The Ravens grabbed him in the first round back in 2023, and he’s got better every season. With two straight Pro Bowl nods and a real connection with Lamar Jackson, he’s quickly turned into one of the top receivers in the league.
The Ravens aren’t letting him go anytime soon. According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, they’re picking up Flowers’ fifth-year option. That means he’ll earn $27.3 million in 2027, after pulling in $2.7 million the year before. As for Rashod Bateman, he had a rough season, but the Ravens are giving him another shot, especially with Declan Doyle coming in as the new offensive coordinator.
Locking up Flowers just makes sense. He’s turned into one of their most dangerous weapons, and the numbers back it up: 86 catches, 1,211 yards, and five touchdowns last season, all career highs.
But there’s another big question hanging over Baltimore: what’s going on with Lamar Jackson? Lately, the rumour mill’s been busy. Nobody seems sure what Jackson wants, or what the Ravens’ plan is. Nick Faria, an NFL insider, even said on the Boy Green Daily Show that this could be Jackson’s last year in Baltimore. He mentioned some concerns inside the organisation, nothing specific, but enough to make people wonder if the team and their star quarterback are heading in different directions.
Still, Graziano says the Ravens want to keep Jackson around. He’s got two years left on his deal at $53 million a year, with $29 million of his 2026 salary already guaranteed. But after that, the guarantees dry up, and his cap hit this year jumps to $74.5 million.
So, what happens next? Nobody knows for sure. But as the 2026 season gets closer, Baltimore’s future, especially at quarterback, feels more up in the air than it has in a long time.
MIKE BROWN BLASTS KNICKS AFTER EMBARRASSING FIRST HALF AGAINST BATTERED WARRIORS
Mike Brown rips into the New York Knicks after a sluggish 110-107 win over an undermanned Golden State Warriors squad.
The New York Knicks barely pulled off a comeback win over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, edging them out 110-107. But honestly, looking at who the Warriors had available, it didn’t feel much like a win.
The Warriors were missing a tonne of key players: Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Jimmy Butler were all out. The Knicks, playing at home and coming in as 14-point favourites, should’ve had an easy night. Instead, they found themselves down by 21 and had to scramble just to get the job done. Even their head coach, Mike Brown, made it clear he wasn’t impressed. He spent most of his postgame press conference tearing into his team for letting things get so out of hand.
“At this point of the year, it’s good to get a win. But I was not happy the way we started the game,” Brown told reporters after the game.
Brown said he isn’t planning any lineup changes, at least not yet. But he’s not ruling anything out as the regular season winds down.
It’s not like this slow-start problem is new. Over their last six games, the Knicks have the third-worst net rating in first quarters, sitting at minus-18. That's nowhere near good enough with the playoffs about a month away.
These were supposed to be easier games on the schedule, but New York keeps making them harder than they should be. The Knicks had to come back from down 18 against the Jazz, and before that, they actually blew a 17-point lead to an undermanned Pacers team, barely hanging on for that win, too.
Brown’s frustration shows. He’s been vocal about the team’s poor starts, and after this Warriors game, he even decided not to name a Defensive Player of the Game – the first time all season he left that honour blank after a win.
“This is a veteran team… I shouldn’t have to call two timeouts in the first six minutes of the ballgame,” Brown said afterward.
With the playoffs coming up fast, the Knicks have no choice; they need to start games with more energy and focus. Falling behind early won’t always be something they can come back from, especially against tougher teams.
WHY DILLON BROOKS IS THE SURPRISE CHOICE TO REPLACE LEBRON JAMES
LeBron James may leave the Lakers this summer, with rumours swirling about Dillon Brooks arriving as his defensive replacement.
The Lakers have some big decisions ahead this offseason, and if the whispers about LeBron James leaving become reality, wing depth jumps to the top of the to-do list.
Now, the idea of LeBron and Dillon Brooks, of all people, teaming up sounds wild, maybe even impossible. And yet, there’s buzz about LA making a move for Brooks, who’s been a LeBron nemesis for years. In this scenario, though, Brooks would actually slide in as LeBron’s replacement, not his teammate.
The timing almost feels right for Brooks. He’s putting together the best season of his career, finally living up to that 3-and-D role people have been waiting for. If the Lakers really are building around Luka Dončić (now, suddenly, the centrepiece) and Austin Reaves, then Brooks fits in perfectly.
So, what would it take? Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz floated an idea: the Lakers send Jake LaRavia, Dalton Knecht, Adou Thiero, and a projected 2026 first-round pick (No. 25 overall) to the Suns for Brooks. That’s giving up some youth and a pick, but you get a proven scorer and one of the league’s top defenders. Honestly, for a team chasing championships, that’s not a steep price.
“If LeBron James leaves the Lakers in free agency, the team will need a new starting power forward,” Swartz wrote. “It would be hilarious for Brooks and LeBron to team up, but even without James, Brooks works; he’s a strong defender and can score. He’s averaging almost 21 points, nearly four rebounds, and a steal a game for the Suns this year. So, the numbers are there.
This isn’t the first time Brooks’ name has popped up with the Lakers, but before, that rivalry with LeBron always killed the idea. If LeBron’s gone, though, all bets are off. Brooks makes sense with Doncic, and that’s who the front office seems locked in on now.
Money-wise, Brooks will cost just under $20 million next season. For what he’s provided this year, that could actually be a bargain. If the Lakers want to shore up the wing, they need to think seriously about this.
Now, the LeBron era in LA feels like it’s finally winding down. In the past, the Lakers would’ve looped him into every big decision, but with Doncic getting a new extension, he’s the main guy now. LeBron, despite all he’s done, might just be an afterthought as he weighs his next move.
People have speculated about a LeBron exit for years, but it feels different now. Jovan Buha, who covers the Lakers closely, said on his show that it’s more real this time than ever before. “There’s always been a buzz he could head somewhere else, maybe finish his career in Cleveland again. But honestly, this is the closest it’s ever felt to actually happening.”
The Lakers plan to keep Reaves this summer and, surprisingly, have actually played better with LeBron off the floor. That’s another hint that a major shift is coming.
Bottom line: they need fresh wing talent to fill the void if LeBron walks. Plenty of names will pop up, but Dillon Brooks is one guy Pelinka and company can’t ignore as they chart a new direction.
Must Read
