The Baltimore Ravens will be without their No. 1 wide receiver for Sunday’s home opener against the New Orleans Saints after officially ruling out Zay Flowers with a hamstring injury. Baltimore also placed cornerback T.J. Tampa on injured reserve, signed linebacker Carl Jones Jr. from the practice squad to the 53-man roster and elevated offensive tackle Gerad Lichtenhan for Week 2.
The Flowers update is the key change from FSN’s earlier coverage of Baltimore working out Brandin Cooks while Flowers missed a second practice. At that point, Flowers’ game status was still unresolved. Saturday’s announcement closes that question: he will not play against New Orleans.
Zay Flowers is officially out after a 150-yard opener
Flowers injured his hamstring during Baltimore’s Week 1 win over Indianapolis. Before leaving, he had already caught five passes for 150 yards and a touchdown, making his absence especially significant for an offense that leaned heavily on him in the opener.
The hamstring issue also carries some recent history. Flowers missed time during training camp with a hamstring problem, and the Ravens had already been managing the injury carefully this week. Baltimore initially described him as day to day, but the receiver was unable to progress far enough to be cleared for Sunday.
The immediate result is that Rashod Bateman moves into the top wide-receiver role, with LaJohntay Wester, Devontez Walker, Chris Moore and rookie Elijah Sarratt all candidates for larger workloads.
Baltimore’s receiver depth will be tested again
The Ravens were already adjusting the room after placing rookie Ja’Kobi Lane on injured reserve following wrist surgery. FSN previously covered Lane’s move to injured reserve and Chris Moore’s promotion, so losing Flowers creates another layer of pressure on the same position group.
Baltimore does not have to replace Flowers with one player. Bateman can absorb more high-value routes, while Walker, Wester, Moore and Sarratt can split the remaining snaps by package and alignment. Tight ends and running backs can also take on additional targets if the Ravens choose to distribute the passing game more broadly.
The larger concern is explosive-play creation. Flowers produced 150 receiving yards in only part of the Week 1 game, and Baltimore now has to find those chunk gains without the receiver who supplied most of them in the opener.
T.J. Tampa goes to injured reserve with a knee injury
Baltimore also placed cornerback T.J. Tampa on injured reserve because of a knee injury. The move requires Tampa to miss at least four games before he can return.
Tampa played five special-teams snaps in Week 1 and made one tackle. His absence is more about depth than replacing a full-time defensive starter, but it removes another option from Baltimore’s secondary and special-teams units for at least the next month.
Carl Jones Jr. gets a 53-man roster spot
The Ravens signed linebacker Carl Jones Jr. from the practice squad to the active roster. That move gives Baltimore additional inside-linebacker depth with Teddye Buchanan ruled out because of a knee injury.
Jones played 19 special-teams snaps in the season opener and recorded two tackles. His promotion is a full 53-man roster move rather than a one-game standard elevation.
Baltimore also elevated offensive tackle Gerad Lichtenhan from the practice squad for Sunday. The move adds protection behind an offensive line that has left tackle Ronnie Stanley and guard John Simpson listed as questionable.
What changes for Ravens-Saints
The Ravens now know they will enter Week 2 without Flowers, Lane, Tampa and Buchanan, while still carrying uncertainty along the offensive line. The most consequential adjustment is on offense because Flowers had already shown in Week 1 that he would remain one of Baltimore’s primary explosive-play threats.
New Orleans can prepare for a passing game with a different target distribution, while Baltimore has to determine which receivers can create separation and yards after the catch without Flowers on the field.
The next major Flowers update will come when the Ravens return to practice next week. Saturday’s announcement only rules him out for the Saints game; Baltimore has not announced a longer absence.
Sources
- Baltimore Ravens: Zay Flowers ruled out; T.J. Tampa placed on injured reserve; Carl Jones Jr. signed (September 19, 2026)
- NFL.com: Saturday NFL news roundup (September 19, 2026)
- Baltimore Ravens: Earlier Zay Flowers hamstring update (September 14, 2026)