The Baltimore Ravens re-signed Kyle Hamilton to a four-year, $100 million on Wednesday, and as USA Today's Nick Brinkerhoff relayed, it was a move that will reset the market for safeties.
Safeties, as Brinkerhoff noted, are not typically known for gaudy paydays. The Detroit Lions gave Kerby Joseph the previous record contract at four years, $86 million.
"The Baltimore Ravens agreed to a four-year, $100.4 million extension with the All-Pro safety on Wednesday, a person familiar with the negotiations confirmed to USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon," Brinkerhoff wrote.
"It's a deal that makes Hamilton the highest-paid safety in NFL history. He's been a mainstay at the back end of the Ravens' defense, playing in 48 of a potential 51 regular season games since being drafted in 2022.
"Now the Notre Dame product is cashing in, helping reset the market for a position that isn't often synonymous with big paydays."
ESPN's Jamison Hensley predicted Hamilton resetting the market. Phoenix also predicted center Tyler Linderbaum doing the same.
"Linderbaum could exceed the Kansas City Chiefs' Creed Humphrey, who became the league's highest-paid center when he agreed to a four-year, $72 million deal in August. The Ravens can retain Hamilton and Linderbaum for two more seasons," Hensley wrote.
As the Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec noted, Hamilton will move back into a nickel role after the Ravens selected Georgia Bulldogs safety Malaki Starks in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.
Hamilton sacrificed for the franchise by acquiescing to Zach Orr's desire to move him around as a pliable defensive chess piece. Now, he'll go back to tackle-hunting, a good thing for the Ravens considering he had 10 TFL in 2023.
"With his defense struggling to limit big plays early last season, first-year Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr was forced to move Hamilton to more of a deep safety role. Hamilton proved to be a stabilizer for the pass defense and finished the season with 107 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception," Zrebiec wrote.
"The selection of first-round safety Malaki Starks in April's draft is expected to allow Orr to utilize Hamilton similarly to how he was moved around during his breakout 2023 season and get him closer to the line of scrimmage."
The Ravens open up their season on September 7 against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football.
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