Over the last 17 practices, I have spent every minute scanning the field for 91 players, reporting attendance, tracking passes, length and distance, pass catches, defenders, seeing which quarterback threw which pass, how the offensive and defensive lines met, and pestering other media members when I didn’t have a good vantage point. Today was a change of pace.

On the sidelines, early on the practice field — as usual — second-year wide receiver Zay Flowers was on his hands and knees, stretching his back and getting loose for the upcoming 150-minute practice. The wide receiver was working with a trainer and wide receivers coach Greg Lewis. The practice was the first in nearly a week that he spent out of protective gear, which meant Flowers had to do a little cardio work. Here are my takeaways from a day spent shadowing the Ravens’ gringo.

• At 1:20 a.m., Flowers did his stretches. A few cat-camels before walking the sideline doing squats, hip flexor stretches and jab steps. He was methodical and purposeful in each exercise, a routine he’d had since joining the Ravens and possibly before that at Boston College. He played music on the sidelines and waved to kids who screamed for him to look in their direction from the stands just a few feet away.
• After 20 minutes of warming up on the sideline while special teams coordinator Chris Horton yelled orders to his unit and ran drills, Flowers began throwing the ball back and forth with a trainer, using a different arm to hold the ball on each catch and then sending it back. He then joined Lewis, sending him 20 yards forward and having him float passes that he could catch over his shoulder. When one missed slightly, he joked with his trainer about the throw. The two criticized each other’s throws and it became a competition to see who could throw the ball into open hands, whether it was on the chest, to the side or down low.
• At 1:45 a.m., fans were lining the bleachers railing, yelling for his attention. One caught his eye as they repeatedly yelled, “I’m wearing your jersey!” He tossed the ball to the child’s mother. In return, she gave it to her daughter, wearing the purple number 4 jersey, to throw back, and the young girl tossed it into his palms, grinning happily.
• A moment later, the horn sounded to begin individual work. Flowers pulled the white balaclava over his head, strapped on his helmet and lined up for the first individual exercise.

• Flowers continues with the drills. But between reps, he and wide receiver Deonte Harty argue. Harty makes a comment, Flowers returns it. This continues after each rep until they move to a new work station. Then, after wide receiver Sean Ryan puts together a great drill rep and follows it up with a long catch, Flowers trots over to his teammate and starts making nickname suggestions. After each one, he smiles and waits for Ryan’s reaction.
• The fun continues when Flowers starts practicing the on-beat Tik Tok trend. A teammate joins in while they wait for the quarterbacks to jog over and begin their routes and assignments. In my estimation, Flowers has mastered the “on-beat challenge.”
• Flowers catches every ball thrown to him during practice. His smile turns matter-of-fact when he’s one snap away from his next rep. He takes instructions for the running route and then runs with speed and agility.
• Another signal and 11-on-11 begins. Flowers runs a total of five reps, gets free twice, but the ball isn’t coming his way. In between, he drinks more fluids, applies Shiesty again, and lines up next to Lewis again, waiting for his next rep. Another rep, he runs into cornerback Brandon Stephens, who is stuck next to Flowers’ hip. Another rep, he goes vertical, but isn’t the target. On the eighth rep, Flowers finds himself one-on-one with Stephens further down the field, and Lamar Jackson throws the ball in the air. There is contact long before the ball arrives. Flowers goes up, Stephens has position, and the ball hits the turf, followed by a yellow flag showing Stephens for pass interference.
• After the replay, Flowers trots back behind the offense, across the field, and finds the cart with the tablets where Jackson is standing. The two discuss the replay and share their thoughts. Flowers expresses his thoughts physically, raising his arm to describe where he thinks the ball should go. Jackson follows suit and describes his thoughts in detail. The two separate a few moments later as the starters return to practice.
• Flowers catches the ball for the first time at the line of scrimmage, but is stopped by a defender without gaining anything. It’s his first catch in team drills, but he didn’t gain any yards. On the next play, he runs a different route, but isn’t the intended target. He has to drink again and adjust his headgear. Nine reps, one catch, no yards, but a 30-yard flag and a new set of downs do the trick.
• Next comes seven-on-seven work, and on the first rep, Flowers tries to break a cornerback’s coverage with a double move. He fails to bait the cornerback, and the ball sails to the opposite side. On his next rep, he breaks away from cornerback Marlon Humphrey, but the ball flies down the field instead. On his third rep, he sprints down the field against Stephens, and Jackson throws in his direction. The pass is incomplete as Stephens keeps step for step with Flowers. No flag is thrown this time. More cardio on his final rep of the drills, where he races past a safety, but it’s too late, as Jackson has found another open pass catcher.
• Flowers and Jackson meet again for a few minutes. Another horn. The starters all return for more 11-on-11. Flowers runs two more routes and is not the intended target for either.
• On the third rep, Flowers runs a route and finds himself completely open. No coverage in sight. Jackson finds him as the pocket collapses for an easy reception. Flowers catches the ball easily and sprints the rest of the way with only one defender near him, but is sealed off by wide receiver Nelson Agholor’s downfield block for a 50-yard touchdown.
• After nearly two hours of practice, Zay returns to the field for four reps. He blocks, he runs the route, he makes room to make way for another intended pass receiver. On the last rep, he gets to safety Ar’Darius Washington, but the ball slips from his fingertips as he crosses the field and the pass is not completed. He goes to the sideline for a minute, then jogs back to the huddle.
• Flowers’ next step is across open field as the defense launches a blitz. Jackson throws the ball to him downfield, and just before the ball lands in his arms, safety Kyle Hamilton, who missed yesterday’s practice after suffering an injury scare on Sunday, leaps up and back to break the reception, nearly intercepting the ball. Flowers jogs back, and offensive coordinator Todd Monken brings him over to talk about the rep. Much like Flowers gestured his idea to Jackson an hour earlier, Monken does the same, using his arms to show how he should have run the route. Flowers nods and executes the move alongside Monken before the call ends.
• At 3:16, Flowers gives up another attempt where he is completely free, which is capitalized in my notes. Jackson has found him and the chains move forward 30 yards. It is his last catch of the day, although he still takes more snaps. He finishes with 80 yards and a touchdown and another 30 yards from pass interference. Possibly more as the sideline fills with excited kids waiting for practice to end and get their chance to sign player autographs. The team does a few red zone drills at half speed as I make my way to the podium for the post-practice press conference. 20 minutes before practice was scheduled to end, the Ravens finished their day’s work and with it my day of following Flowers.

In total, I counted 27 reps of Flowers in team drills. He scored, he ran the field, and he’s one day closer to Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs.