OTL: Hamilton Taking His Place Among League’s Elite

The Kyle Hamilton Express is set to leave the station. And you better get on board now if you want a seat.

The third-year safety’s star has risen steadily since the Ravens made him a first-round pick in the 2022 draft. His range, athleticism, toughness and staggering football IQ has turned him from a scintillating prospect into an All-Pro force. And the league is catching on quickly.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently ranked the NFL’s top safeties, and he had Hamilton at the second spot, behind only Tampa Bay’s Antoine Winfield Jr.

“Hamilton is the only player on this list with at least 10 tackles for loss (10) and 10 pass deflections (13) in 2023,” wrote Fowler. “He added three sacks and four interceptions, allowing 261 yards on 62 targets.”

Fowler said the Ravens are good at taking advantage of what Hamilton does best, and that he might be playing in his best-case scenario in Baltimore.

“Doesn’t fit the bill for everyone, but really important for them,” an AFC executive told Fowler. “Have to know where he is at all times. Really good instincts in the middle of the field.”

Hamilton appears to be one of those players who will only continue to improve as he sees more snaps, as his ability to process what he sees and react immediately is possibly his greatest strength. I would assume his arrow is going to continue to point up as long as his athleticism is still in tow.

ESPN is neck-deep in its rankings stories this time of year as the search for content marches on during the “slow season.” They also published a story ranking every team by their running back, tight end and receiver rooms. The Ravens ranked 15th there, according to Bill Barnwell.

“Derrick Henry‘s move from the Titans to the Ravens will be fascinating,” wrote Barnwell. “The top-end acceleration that made him a sensation at his peak probably isn’t there anymore, as the running back who gained 30 yards or more once every 52 carries between 2019 and 2020 has done that once every 106 carries since. In the passing game, he has never been more than a change of pace who can terrify defensive backs on screens, and while he didn’t fumble last season, he fumbled six times in 2022.

“And yet, would you be surprised if this move revitalized Henry’s career,” asked Barnwell. “He’s still productive enough as a runner; he had 84 rush yards over expectation behind a horrible offensive line last season. Playing alongside Lamar Jackson will slow down linebacker flow and give weakside defensive ends something to think about as they try to chase Henry down on outside zone, creating more space for him in the run game.”

Barnwell was high on the Ravens’ trio of Henry, Mark Andrews and Zay Flowers, and mentioned Isaiah Likely, as well. But he was less than optimistic regarding the Ravens’ secondary options at receiver.

“A resurgent Henry would go a long way for Baltimore,” wrote Barnwell. “The organization has talked up Rashod Bateman this offseason, but it’s tough to find many wide receivers who have been this unproductive through three seasons, even allowing for injuries, who have then broken out in Year 4. More than anything, given how many times the Ravens had had their playmakers go down the past few years, let’s just hope for a full season with Henry, Flowers and Andrews all on the field together.”

NFL.com’s Nick Shook wrote a pre-training camp primer on the Ravens and, like most everyone else, shared some concerns with the re-worked offensive line, but also some optimism over a best-case scenario at tackle.

“Will the revolving door at offensive tackle finally slow down,” asked Shook. “Ronnie Stanley played in just 18 combined games between 2020 and 2022, and then he struggling significantly in 2023. But this offseason, he said he finally feels healthy. He reportedly accepted a revised deal in order to stay with Baltimore, setting him up to possibly close out his time there the right way; if everything goes right, the Ravens might finally be able to count on their left tackle again. On the opposite side, rookie Roger Rosengarten joins the starting five as a second-round pick out of Washington, giving the Ravens a young option after relying on veteran Morgan Moses in each of the last two seasons. If Stanley and Rosengarten stay healthy, Baltimore might finally be able to relax instead of having to frequently adjust their lineup up front. Continuity and consistency are key for any offense, and if the line stabilizes, the NFL’s sixth-ranked offense in 2023 could be even better in 2024.”

Also of note:

AFC North Race: How Bengals and Steelers Could Push Baltimore | CBS Sports

“I always knew I can do that, and that was my mindset.”@Jamal31Lewis on Untold Stories: pic.twitter.com/t9avcPCPHy

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) July 10, 2024

pic.twitter.com/Ny8ymw2iHc

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) July 10, 2024

This Raven is getting his much-deserved recognition: pic.twitter.com/AolZQhmXy6

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) July 10, 2024

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