Ravens' Zay Flowers Comments on Practice Changes Under New Coach

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers has discussed the shift in practice philosophy under new head coach Jesse Minter, contrasting it with the methods of former coach John Harbaugh.

Previous Practice Intensity Under Harbaugh

Speaking on the 4th and South podcast, Flowers described a demanding practice regimen under the previous coaching staff.

"Full pads all the time. However many practices in pads you can get, every single one. We're doing one-on-ones in Week 17. Week 17, we're doing one-on-ones, everybody out there, we're tired, we're still going."

When asked how players managed that consistent, high-contact workload, Flowers' response was blunt: "We don't."

He directly linked the physical toll of these practices to player health, adding:

"That's why we had a lot of injuries. Because of how we practiced, how we went. The load was heavy."

Flowers stated that by the season's end, players were dealing with exhaustion from the accumulated wear and tear.

A New Approach Under Jesse Minter

Flowers reported that he addressed the topic directly in his first conversation with the new head coach, Jesse Minter. Minter previously served as a Ravens assistant coach before Flowers was drafted.

"Yeah, I talked to the new coach. He worked with Harbaugh in 2017, so he knows how it was, how we worked with Harbaugh. So he says, 'You're going to get your work, but it's going to be a little easier on your body. You're going to be fresher for the game.'"

Flowers noted that this discussion about practice structure was the very first talk he had with Minter.

Background and Context

• John Harbaugh was the Ravens' head coach prior to the appointment of Jesse Minter.
• The article suggests Ravens players may welcome Flowers' comments regarding the expected changes to practice intensity.
• It also notes that players for other teams, like the New York Giants, might experience different practice expectations.