Getty Baltimore Ravens DB Kyle Hamilton.
After playing a major role in some of the blown coverages that led to the team giving up a 21-point lead to the Miami Dolphins in a Week 2 loss, Baltimore Ravens rookie safety Kyle Hamilton has been playing his best football since then.
He played 50 % of the team’s total defensive snaps in Week 1 and 54 % in Week 2 but hasn’t played more than 45% percent since. However, a lesser yet more specified role has led to him having more of an impact as his level of play has raised and become more consistent.
When the Ravens selected him with the 14th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame, they vowed to get him his first career sack. Throughout his decorated college career with the Fighting Irish where he established himself as the best safety prospect to come out in years, that was one of few yet most notable stats that he never recorded.
Ravens first-year defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald is committed to using Hamilton in a multitude of ways that includes as a blitzer. In the team’s 23-20 win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 7, he only played 35% of the team’s total defensive snaps but was very effective as a pass rusher when sent on blitzes. He tied his career-high in total tackles with four and recorded his first career quarterback hit and sack by beating an offensive guard one-on-one with a swift swim move.
For a guy who had NEVER had a sack before, Kyle Hamilton sure did look nice beating the Browns’ left guard 1-on-1 for his first.
In addition to thriving playing in the box near the line of scrimmage and as a blitzer, Hamilton has also made great improvements and strides in coverage. Part of his focused role is coming on the field in sub packages and being a matchup piece in man coverage. According to NFL Rookie Watch, he has allowed just 29 receiving yards and no touchdowns in 73 coverage snaps since Week 3.
Kyle Hamilton since week 3:
• 73 coverage snaps
• 29 yards allowed
• 0 TD allowed
The Ravens rookie safety has been on LOCKDOWN 🔒
“He was in a specific role, that kind of dime position, and also playing the nickel position in certain groupings that we’re in,” head coach John Harbaugh said in a press conference on October 24, 2022. “He really was into it; he matched up sometimes in terms of man coverage, and when he did that, he did well. He played an overall real good game. It’s kind of what we were hoping for. It’s a big step for him, and he’ll keep building on that.”
Geno Stone Earns Ravens’ Highest Week 7 PFF Grade
Hamilton wasn’t the only Ravens safety that played a great game and made impactful plays this past Sunday in the team’s decisive win over the Browns. In just his third career start and second straight in place of injured veteran Marcus Williams, the third-year defensive back finished as the team’s highest-graded player according to Pro Football Focus with an overall of 79.2.
Highest graded Ravens in Week 7 win vs Browns:
🥇 Geno Stone – 79.2
🥈 Odafe Oweh – 77.3
🥉 Patrick Queen – 76.0
4️⃣ Lamar Jackson – 75.8
5️⃣ Ronnie Stanley – 74.1
The 2020 sixth-round pick out of Iowa led the team with a game-high eight solo tackles, nearly recorded his first career sack by generating the initial pressure on Hamilton’s sack, and both forced and recovered the game-sealing fumble as the final second ticked off the clock.
Geno Stone takes it away and this game is over! #RavensFlock
Stone played 100% of the team’s total defensive snaps for just the second time in his career according to Pro Football Reference and had his best game to date. He is taking full advantage of his golden opportunity for extended raising his level of play and looking more comfortable in a starting role each week.
Buccaneers Will “Likely” Without Starting Safety In Week 8
The Ravens will be heading down to Florida on a short week for the second year in a row to play on Thursday Night Football. When their offense takes the field, it will likely be against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense without one of its best players.
According to multiple reports, starting safety Antoine Winfield Jr. suffered a concussion in the team’s 21-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday in Week 7 and is unlikely to be cleared for the quick turnaround game.
This is a huge blow for the Buccaneers that was likely going to deploy Winefield as a spy in an attempt to limit Ravens’ dynamic dual-threat quarterback Lamar Jackson on scrambles and designed runs.
The Panthers racked up 173 rushing yards on Tampa’s vaunted defense and will be facing a surging Baltimore rushing attack that ran for 160 yards against the Browns led by bruising running back Gus Edwards who scored a pair of touchdowns in the team’s win this past Sunday.