“There's a pretty good chance I'll be able to play this weekend,” said Baltimore Ravens star wide receiver Zai Flowers. NFL Insider Ian Rapoport reports. During an appearance on Wednesday's “Good Morning Football.”
Flowers is still dealing with pain from a knee injury sustained in Week 18. Listed as a non-participant In Tuesday's practice report.
His likely absence from Saturday's AFC Wild Card Game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. ET, will be a major blow to the Ravens.
Flowers was quarterback Lamar Jackson's top option throughout the regular season, pacing the Ravens in targets (116), receptions (74), yards (1,059) and yards after catch (463).
If the second-year wideout is inactive on Saturday, tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Riley, as well as fellow receiver Rashod Bateman, who is often Jackson's second option behind Flowers, will be more involved. It seems that then.
The Ravens could also rely more on star running back Derrick Henry and Jackson in the run game.
“I think it's not just one guy's problem, it's everyone's problem,” Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said. Per ESPNto compensate for Flowers' possible absence. “We have a lot of weapons. We can move our guys around in different ways, we can plan them out and everyone can make plays.”
Flowers hasn't been completely ruled out at this point, and as Rapoport reports, “everyone has a chance.” [to play] Because it's the playoffs… [he] If the Baltimore Ravens do their job, there's a chance he'll be back next week, but this week it looks like a no.
Flowers' knee injury occurred in the second quarter of Baltimore's final game of the season, a 35-10 win over the disastrous Browns.
Coach Harbaugh told reporters after the game that Flowers will undergo an MRI to determine the extent of his knee injury.
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“It's likely that he's OK, but we'll probably know more after an MRI.” [Sunday] Good morning,” Harbaugh said.
On Monday, Harbaugh revealed that Flowers did not suffer a season-ending injury, but it is considered a routine injury.
“[Flowers will] “Let's try to do everything we can to get back as soon as possible and see where it takes us,” he said.
If Flowers is unable to play, he will miss his first game since the regular-season finale of the 2023 season.
Fourth-year receiver Tyrann Wallace will likely start in Flowers' place.
