After two years in Baltimore, Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers is already an NFL star. But don’t expect him to pursue flag football stardom.

Flowers indicated after Tuesday’s practice during organized team activities that he has no interest in trying out for Team USA ahead of the 2028 Summer Games. In May, NFL owners unanimously approved a proposal for players to participate in flag football in the Los Angeles-based Olympiad.

“I play real football,” said Flowers, who had 74 catches for 1,059 yards and four touchdowns last year in his Pro Bowl season. “I’m just here to play tackle football. I ain’t really worried about going to the Olympics. I’m trying to win a Super Bowl.”

The NFL’s vote at its spring meetings in Minnesota last month authorized the league to negotiate safety provisions and scheduling logistics with the NFL Players Association, the sport’s international governing body, and the relevant Olympic authorities before it becomes reality during the next Summer Games.

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The 10-player Olympic rosters will be selected by the national committee for each country, with six teams each in separate tournaments for men and women. Only one player per NFL club would be allowed for each country. The game itself is a five-on-five competition on a 50-yard field.

With the 2028 Olympics scheduled from July 14-30, the flag football gold-medal game could practically be staged before teams report to training camp, a provision that NFL executive vice president of club business and league events Peter O’Reilly indicated has already received informal support. Tryout and training periods for the national teams would also fit in offseason quiet periods for NFL clubs, O’Reilly said.

For now, Flowers is focused on improving his game and maintaining his health. He said his right knee, which he hurt in the Ravens’ regular-season finale, sidelining him for the playoffs, is “great.”

“I feel 100%,” he said. “I feel like I’m ready to go. I feel like I’m ready for the season. No limits, so I’m good.”

Loop on target

Kicker Tyler Loop (33) and senior special teams coach Randy Brown observe the organized team activities. (Ulysses Muñoz/The Baltimore Banner)

Rookie kicker Tyler Loop didn’t get much of a test in his first round of kicks at an open practice, but he aced it nonetheless.

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The sixth-round pick and heir apparent to Justin Tucker went 3-for-3 late in practice, making a 28-yard field goal from the middle of the hash marks, a 30-yarder from the left hash and a 32-yarder from the right hash. Loop didn’t kick in the Ravens’ first open practice last week, but long snapper Nick Moore said at Isaiah Likely’s charity softball event Sunday that Loop had finished 5-for-5 in a recent practice.

John Hoyland, an undrafted rookie kicker from Wyoming, also went 3-for-3, making kicks from 34, 36 and 42 yards.

Offseason cleanup

Offensive coordinator Todd Monken takes questions from reporters. (Ulysses Muñoz/The Baltimore Banner)

The Ravens had one of the NFL’s best offenses in recent memory last year, but it didn’t operate at a high level early in the season. The Ravens averaged 23.7 points per game — a touchdown below their season-long average — and struggled mightily with penalties over their first three games, including losses to the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders.

The Ravens can’t afford another slow start over the first third of their season this fall. They open the season against the Buffalo Bills before facing the Detroit Lions in Week 3, the Chiefs in Week 4, the Houston Texans in Week 5 and the Los Angeles Rams in Week 6. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken said the Ravens’ coaching staff has focused on honing their execution this offseason.

“We just really tried to drill down as to the things that we do, how do we do them better? How do we function at a higher level?” he said Tuesday. “Obviously, we started to get the penalties cleaned up. How do we function better at the line of scrimmage from our operation to communication? And really hone in after looking at last year, what our guys do really well. What does [quarterback] Lamar [Jackson] like? Why waste time? I felt like we did that last year. I felt like [our] first couple of games ... it wasn’t good enough. I mean, it really wasn’t.”

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Highlights

Inside linebacker Roquan Smith (0) gets feedback from a coach during the team’s organized team activities Tuesday. (Ulysses Muñoz/The Baltimore Banner)
  • With Jackson and several other stars missing from Tuesday’s voluntary workout, big plays were in short supply. But tight end Isaiah Likely did beat cornerback Marlon Humphrey down the right sideline for an explosive gain in seven-on-seven action.
  • Outside linebacker Odafe Oweh got into the backfield for a would-be stop on a screen pass to running back Keaton Mitchell.
  • Cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis broke up a back-shoulder throw to wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins near the front corner of the end zone.
  • Undrafted rookie inside linebacker Chandler Martin, who had 111 tackles, seven sacks and an interception at Memphis last season, sniffed out a screen and nearly had an interception. Rookie safety Keondre Jackson, another undrafted signing, almost had a red-zone pick as well.
  • Wide receivers Devontez Walker and Malik Cunningham, meanwhile, each appeared to drop a pass in the end zone.
  • Undrafted rookie Lucas Scott started 25 games along the offensive line for Army, but he’s getting a look at fullback in Baltimore. He caught a short pass Tuesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.