Why the Ravens paid Kyle Hamilton

The Baltimore Ravens hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16 of the 2024 NFL regular season, in a pivotal matchup for the AFC North rivals. With a win, the Steelers would have clinched the division, but Baltimore’s 34-17 victory not only booked a playoff spot for the Ravens, but pulled them even with Pittsburgh in the division.

A race Baltimore would eventually win, earning the right to host the Steelers on Wild Card Weekend.

It was a one-score game at the half, and the Steelers began the third quarter with possession of the football. On the very first play of the third quarter, Pittsburgh ran a toss play to Jaylen Warren on the left side, which was stopped for no gain by Baltimore safety Kyle Hamilton. Aligned in the secondary, Hamilton read the play perfectly, crashing downhill through the hole to chop Warren down at the line of scrimmage:

Fast-forward to the start of the fourth quarter. Again, it was a one-score game at that time, with the Steelers facing a 4th-and-6 situation just inside Baltimore territory. Mike Tomlin left his offense on the field, and Russell Wilson looked deep to Calvin Austin near the goal line.

Racing over from his deep safety spot to break up the play was none other than Hamilton:

Those two plays, one at the line of scrimmage and one 45 yards away from it, are just a snapshot from a single game, but they speak volumes about what Hamilton means to the Ravens’ defense and the versatility he brings to Baltimore.

They are also examples of why the Ravens just made him the highest-paid safety in NFL history. Hamilton and Baltimore agreed on a four-year, $100.4 million deal that features $82 million guaranteed. This eclipses the previous mark of $45 million guaranteed for a safety, according to ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter.

“I think the deal speaks to how we feel about Kyle — highest paid safety in the NFL,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said to the media on Wednesday. “That’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly. We’ve had a few players over the years become the highest paid at their position, and I think when you’re the highest paid, that’s an important distinction.

“And I think Kyle’s proven he’s going to carry that very well, and we expect him to continue to be an impact player on our defense for years to come.”

Baltimore has seen some of the NFL’s best come through M&T Bank Stadium over the years, including at the safety position. Ed Reed redefined the position and set a new standard for a generation, but Hamilton’s skill-set -- and versatility as outlined above -- help set him apart.

Take charting data from Pro Football Focus, for example. (Subscription required). According to their data, Hamilton lined up literally everywhere for the Ravens defense last season. Out of his 1,043 defensive snaps, 374 of them came aligned in the box, 280 of them came with Hamilton in the slot, 17 of them came with him aligned as an outside cornerback, 306 of them came with him at free safety, and he even lined up along the defensive line 66 times.

His versatility goes beyond just his pre-snap alignment and continues after the play begins. While you might see him running the alley against the run as on the first play, or dropping deep in coverage on the second, you are also likely to see him screaming off the edge on a blitz, or in coverage in the flat, as he is here against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

In a league that values versatility, Hamilton’s stands out.

And it is a reason the Ravens made him the highest-paid safety in NFL history today.