Heading into the 2025 offseason, Ravens GM Eric DeCosta had a checklist longer than a CVS receipt, and at the top it sat contract extensions. One name that couldn’t be ignored? Kyle Hamilton. The safety was rolling into the final year of his rookie deal, and while Baltimore went ahead and exercised his fifth-year option back in April—locking him in through 2026—that was only half the battle. The real question was whether the two sides could find common ground on a long-term deal.

Turns out, they did a lot more than that. Despite already securing the option year, the Ravens kept hammering away at the negotiation table, determined to lock up one of their defensive cornerstones. And now, here we are—fast forward a few months, and John Harbaugh’s crew just landed Hamilton a four-year extension that makes him the highest-paid safety in NFL history.

While DeCosta didn’t shed light on the contract terms, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the deal is worth up to $100.4 million with $82 million guaranteed. Right after that went down, Hamilton shared his feelings on becoming the highest-paid safety in the NFL. “It’s crazy. It’s a dream come true,” the 24-year-old said. “And just first, I just want to thank a lot of people.

“I want to thank God, first and foremost, and so many situations and things that happened in my life that’s gone into this position. Think back to draft night, and some people said some things about where I was drafted, this and that, and where I could be drafted. At the time, I think I was the least mad at anybody. I didn’t know that I came to the right place, and I think that’s how God just works sometimes.” The Ravens picked Hamilton as the 14th overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

And let’s just say the 24-year-old has quickly become a game-changer player ever since he debuted for the Ravens. Across three seasons, the fourth-year safety played 355 snaps as a free safety, 292 as a slot corner, 246 as LB, 124 as strong safety, 78 on the defensive line, and 18 as a wide cornerback. One of the Ravens’ smartest players? Absolutely. Versatility? Up to the mark. So, when the Ravens finally made him the highest-paid player at his position in NFL history, it all just made sense.

“The highest-paid safety in the NFL. That’s a responsibility that we don’t take lightly,” DeCosta said. “Kyle has proven that he’s going to carry that very well and we expect him to be an impact player in our defense for years to come.” That said, Kyle Hamilton will kick off the 2025 season opener against the Bills a couple of weeks later with a massive four-year deal in his hand.

Ravens secondary coach compared Kyle Hamilton to the Ravens’ Hall of Famer

Kyle Hamilton is just entering his prime years. But it didn’t take long for secondary Coach Chuck Pagano to compare his mental abilities to Ravens’ Hall of Famer, Ed Reed, who spent 11 seasons in Baltimore, won a Super Bowl, and recorded multiple franchise records, including the most career receptions (61). The logic tracks as well.

Hamilton recorded a career-high 107 tackles, two sacks, four tackles for loss, one interception, nine passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. And yes, the 24-year-old safety also earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl honors. “I think guys like Kyle [Hamilton] and some guys that were here before Kyle, guys like Ed [Reed], per se, they pick up the defense so fast,” Pagano said.

“... Right now, where he is at in the phase of his football life, what he’s doing [is] he’s diagnosing the situation. He knows the down and distance. He knows the personnel group that’s in the huddle, he can see and recognize a formation. So, he’s one step ahead.” When you look at safeties who were actually on the field for at least 20% of the snaps, Hamilton wasn’t just good—he was elite. Pro Football Focus had him sitting at No. 2 overall, with only Detroit’s Kerby Joseph graded higher.

And just to put that in perspective, Joseph cashed in this April with a monster four-year, $86 million extension. That’s the kind of company Hamilton is keeping right now. As we’ve said before, the guy’s entering his prime years. We’ll see what 2025 brings for him.