Kyle Hamilton will secure the bag soon enough.
Most likely, he’ll set a record in the process.
The current safety record is $21 million per year that both Antoine Winfield Jr. and Kerby Joseph have.
Don’t be surprised for Hamilton to go above that when the Baltimore Ravens give him a new deal.
Here’s how Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay explains it:
The Baltimore Ravens hit a home run with their pick of Kyle Hamilton near the midpoint of the 2022 NFL draft’s first round.
The first of just two safeties to come off the board on Day 1—No. 32 overall pick Lewis Cine, who has sparingly played for three different teams over the past three seasons, was the other—Hamilton has more than matched the high expectations that come with being such an early selection at this position.
Although Hamilton’s rookie year didn’t move the needle too much, the jumbo-sized defensive back earned invaluable reps across 16 games—including four starts—that paid dividends during a breakout 2023 campaign.
Hamilton would go on to not only earn his first Pro Bowl nod, but also make the All-Pro team in 2023—a season in which he recorded 81 tackles, 13 pass defenses, four interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown) and three sacks.
Hamilton showcased his elite versatility in 2024, earning a second consecutive Pro Bowl spot despite transitioning from a strong safety consistently deployed near the box to free safety roaming the back lines of Baltimore’s defense during the latter half of the campaign.
In total, the 24-year-old accumulated a career-high 107 tackles to go along with nine pass defenses, a pair of forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and an interception last season.
With a market value of over $20.3 million per year (per Spotrac) and both Antoine Winfield Jr. and Kerby Joseph netting $21 million per season on their recent extensions, Hamilton is on pace to become the league’s highest paid safety when he’s inevitably re-upped by the Ravens.
The Ravens have more to worry about than just Hamilton.
Superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson will be due for a new payday soon enough, too.
But it makes sense to nail Hamilton down while they can, for sure.
MORE NFL NEWS:
