Ravens Expected to Pair Kyle Hamilton with New Safety

Will the Baltimore Ravens Strengthen Their Defense by Adding Depth at Safety?

As the NFL offseason heats up, all eyes are on the Baltimore Ravens and their defensive strategy moving forward. One key question: Will the team seek to bolster the back end of its defense?

Safety Kyle Hamilton has earned a reputation for his impressive versatility, but his role during the second half of the season didn’t necessarily showcase all of his abilities. The Ravens had Marcus Williams sidelined and Eddie Jackson released, leaving Hamilton and Ar’Darius Washington as the primary safeties. This limited Hamilton’s role, forcing him into more of a deep safety position, rather than using his full skill set, which includes excelling in the slot or acting as a pseudo-linebacker.

While the Ravens’ defense showed improvement in the latter half of the season, adding more depth could allow Hamilton to showcase his full potential and give the defense an extra edge.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. certainly believes that strengthening the safety position could be key for Baltimore. In his pre-combine mock draft, Kiper projects the Ravens to select Nick Emmanwori, the standout safety from South Carolina, with the 27th overall pick.

Kiper highlighted Emmanwori’s unique blend of size and explosiveness: “This guy is going to catch everyone’s eye during combine workouts,” he wrote. “At 6-3, 227 pounds, his athleticism is off the charts. But he’s not just a physical specimen—he picked off four passes for the Gamecocks this past season.”

Should the Ravens secure Emmanwori, pairing him with Hamilton could solidify the back end of the defense, potentially eliminating threats in the third level of the field. This is a key consideration, especially after the Ravens allowed 58 plays of 20 or more yards in 2024—the third most in the league.

With his exceptional combination of size, athleticism, and ball skills, Emmanwori is certainly a player to watch during this week’s NFL Scouting Combine. It’s clear the Ravens will be keeping a close eye on his performance, as they look to add more depth to an already improving defense.