OWINGS MILLS, Md. — This is the third and final week of voluntary Organized Team Activities and the Ravens are still figuring some new things out. But that's been nothing out of the ordinary during this offseason of change.
This is an ideal time of year to make mistakes and learn with a new coaching staff, but according to wide receiver Zay Flowers, players still want to get it right as much as possible.
Ravens still learning during final week of OTAs
"The only way to learn the plays is messing up a few times and then going back and doing it the correct way," said Flowers. "So we're not too uptight about messing up the play here and there but we would love to get it right. So if you're a competitor, you're going to hate getting it wrong."
The feeling-out process is still ongoing and that's by design. New offensive coordinator Declan Doyle says the goal right now is to figure out what his team can handle so they have no choice but to grow.
"During the spring we could take it easy and not stress these guys and it would be a lot simpler, and yet I think growth happens on the other side of stress," said Doyle. "And so we need to stress them, we need to figure out what they can handle. Because you're trying to figure out how can you be the most difficult to defend."
There are a number of rookies joining the Ravens' offense, but it's not like they are starting over on that side of the ball. They still have a strong core with Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, Mark Andrews and Flowers who has quickly embraced more responsibility as a leader in the receiver room.
"That's kind of weird because I'm the oldest one in there and I ain't that old though," said Flowers with a chuckle. "It's just teaching me how to lead. It's teaching me how to lead guys younger than me and take what the vets from my years before and give it to them."
Flowers was asked about his contract after the Ravens picked up his fifth-year option in April and said once again that he wants to stay in Baltimore long-term beyond next season.
The Ravens' final OTA is on Thursday before mandatory minicamp begins next week on June 9.
