OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers has taken a step toward a potential return, but it’s unlikely to be for Sunday night’s divisional-round clash with Buffalo.
After logging some individual on-field work with members of the training staff before Friday’s practice, the Pro Bowl wideout was officially listed as doubtful on the final injury report and is expected to miss a second straight game. Flowers worked out while wearing a brace on the right knee he injured in the Jan. 4 win over Cleveland.
Though head coach John Harbaugh said Flowers has “a chance” to play against the Bills despite not practicing all week and the team posted a video of his on-field workout on social media, the 2023 first-round pick appears to be targeting a return for the AFC championship game if the Ravens advance past the Bills. If that’s indeed the goal, Flowers staying in Owings Mills — which would require the team downgrading him to out on Saturday — to continue receiving treatment would make more sense than having him travel to Buffalo just to stand on the sideline and have his knee possibly stiffen up in the bitter cold temperatures forecasted for Sunday night.
Flowers being out for the second consecutive game would be a disappointing development for a team that was remarkably healthy over the course of the 2024 regular season. Earlier this month, the 24-year-old became the first wide receiver in franchise history to be named to the Pro Bowl.
“It’s a huge challenge. That’s a guy who has been with us all season long and been making things happen for us,” quarterback Lamar Jackson said Wednesday. “And just him being him [and] what he brings to the game, we’re going to miss that. But we have guys who are locked in and are ready to step up to the plate for us.”
Flowers is the only member of Baltimore’s 53-man roster carrying a game status designation for the divisional round.
The Bills are very healthy with backup rookie running back Ray Davis (concussion) being the only player carrying a status designation. Davis remained in the concussion protocol as of Friday, but his ability to practice on a limited basis all week bodes well for his chances of being cleared in time to play on Sunday.
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Reserve interior offensive lineman Alec Anderson (calf) is off the injury report and expected to play, which is notable with the Bills’ propensity for using heavy formations to augment their rushing attack.
Ravens return specialist and wide receiver Deonte Harty was officially listed as questionable for the second straight week after being designated to return to practice from injured reserve last week. Harty would need to be activated by 4 p.m. Saturday to play against Buffalo, but Baltimore hasn’t given any strong indication of that happening despite his full practice participation. Harty has been on IR since mid-October and has appeared in just five games all season.
“The thing for Deonte is just getting back out here. He’s missed a lot of football, right?” special teams coordinator Chris Horton said Thursday. “We’re just making sure that he’s ready to go, his body’s right, [and] he’s in a good place. I don’t have a problem with him fielding punts or anything like that. It’s a matter of, ‘OK, is he ready to go?'”
Wide receiver Steven Sims has been the punt returner since Week 17, but he has looked shaky and muffed a punt early in the wild-card playoff win over Pittsburgh.
Below is the final injury report for the divisional round:
BALTIMORE
DOUBTFUL: WR Zay Flowers (knee)
QUESTIONABLE: WR/RS Deonte Harty (knee)
BUFFALO
QUESTIONABLE: RB Ray Davis (concussion)
