The Baltimore Ravens' playoff hopes took a serious hit in Week 16 with a tough loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday Night Football. That defeat dropped Baltimore to 7-8 on the season and left them two games behind the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North. With just a couple of weeks left, the road to the postseason is looking steep.
But while the Ravens’ playoff picture is cloudy, their Pro Bowl representation is crystal clear - and impressive. Baltimore is sending an NFL-best six players to the Pro Bowl this season, a testament to the individual talent on a team that’s had its share of ups and downs. One of those players is wide receiver Zay Flowers, who just earned his second career Pro Bowl nod in his third NFL season.
That selection, though, comes with some financial ripple effects.
Here’s where things get interesting: under the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, a player who makes two Pro Bowls on the original ballot becomes eligible for a significant raise if their team picks up the fifth-year option on their rookie contract. In Flowers’ case, that means the Ravens would be looking at a fifth-year option worth the equivalent of the franchise tag for wide receivers - currently set at $28 million.
That’s not pocket change, even for a player who’s been the team’s top receiving threat all year.
Flowers has quietly put together a strong 2025 campaign. Through 15 games, he’s hauled in 78 receptions for 1,043 yards and two touchdowns.
While the touchdown total might not jump off the stat sheet, his consistency and ability to create separation have made him a go-to option in Baltimore’s offense. He’s shown growth each year since being drafted in the first round, and this Pro Bowl nod reinforces his standing as one of the league’s rising stars at the position.
Still, that $28 million number looms large.
The Ravens now have a decision to make before the May 1, 2026 deadline: pick up the fifth-year option and commit to the hefty price tag, decline it and let Flowers play out the final year of his rookie deal, or try to strike a long-term extension that could offer more cap flexibility while keeping a key offensive piece in-house.
And this isn’t the first time Baltimore’s been in this spot.
They’re currently navigating a similar situation with center Tyler Linderbaum, their 2022 first-round pick. Like Flowers, Linderbaum made two Pro Bowls early in his career, triggering the same high-value fifth-year option.
The Ravens chose not to exercise it, allowing Linderbaum to enter the final year of his contract. He responded by earning a third Pro Bowl selection this season and is now set to hit free agency in the offseason.
That precedent adds another layer to the Flowers decision. Baltimore has shown it’s willing to let players play out their rookie deals, even if it means risking free agency down the line. But wide receivers command a premium in today’s NFL, and Flowers is trending toward becoming one of the better ones in the league.
So, what’s next?
The Ravens have a few months to weigh their options. They could bet on Flowers continuing his rise and lock him in with a long-term deal that helps spread out the cap hit. Or they could take a wait-and-see approach, as they did with Linderbaum, and risk letting another young Pro Bowler test the open market.
Either way, Baltimore’s front office has some major decisions to make - and not just about the postseason. The offseason is shaping up to be just as pivotal.