Kyle Hamilton didn’t spend the last week just talking football. He was out at the American Century Golf Championship in Stateline, Nevada, on the shores of Lake Tahoe, but the Baltimore Ravens safety still found plenty of time to keep sounding off about the team’s offseason overhaul.
With his fifth training camp set to begin later this month, Hamilton used a run of virtual and in-person appearances to praise the new look around him. That starts with first-time head coach Jesse Minter, a defensive-minded hire who was one of the most coveted names in the coaching cycle, and continues with defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, who is back in Baltimore after previously working on John Harbaugh’s staff during Hamilton’s first two seasons.
“It’s been great so far, honestly,” Hamilton told NFL Live. “It’s been seamless. Obviously, both Jesse and Weave have been in Baltimore before and understand what the culture is and the culture that’s been set by previous coaches (and) previous players… They have a great plan for us, and I’m excited."
For Hamilton, the fit matters because his value has always come from how much a defense can move him around. He’s the kind of player who can be lined up in multiple spots and still change the game, and he expects that to keep being part of the plan under Minter.
“It’s always week-to-week, depending on how the season is going, depending on what the opponent does and what we feel like we most need from me,” Hamilton said. “I feel like coaches do a great job of simplifying it the best they can for me.”
The Ravens’ biggest splash this offseason was bringing in four-time Pro Bowl edge defender Trey Hendrickson on a franchise-record free agent deal worth up to $() million over four years. Hamilton sees that as more than just a headline move. He sees a pass rusher who should tilt the field, create more pressure, and make life easier for everyone behind him.
Hendrickson’s track record in the AFC North backs that up, with three of his four career double-digit sack seasons coming in the division, including 17.5 in back-to-back years. Hamilton expects the same relentless production to keep rolling.
“I expect more of the same, and I know he does, if not more for himself,” Hamilton said. “It’s a big boost of talent and energy that we get just having him on the team, and he even mentor younger guys coming off the edge like Mike Green.
“I’m excited for what he’s going to bring to us. He’s a good guy, funny guy, doesn’t take everything too seriously, but when it’s time to work he works and just goes about his business. He isn’t super loud, but he’s loud on film when you see him out there.”
Hamilton also singled out Lamar Jackson as one of the steady forces in the building during the offseason program. The two-time league MVP, in Hamilton’s view, never changes his approach depending on the calendar.
“One of the best things about Lamar is he’s going to act the same in March and April as he will in January and February,” Hamilton said. “He does a great job of separating the fun from the work and he keeps it as light as possible. But at the same time, he does a great job of locking back in and making sure everybody else is locked in and preaches that to us.”
And then there’s the AFC North, which Hamilton made clear still carries the same edge it always has. He said the division’s reputation holds across all four teams, even after a 2025 season that saw the Pittsburgh Steelers as the only playoff team and three clubs change head coaches.
“I feel like the AFC North kind of has that whole notion just across all four teams,” Hamilton said on the Dan Patrick Show.
If there’s one opponent that brings out a little extra bite, it’s Cincinnati. Hamilton pointed to the Bengals’ success against Baltimore during his time in the league, especially the way Ja’Marr Chase and Joe Burrow have produced big numbers in those matchups.
“[They’ve] had our number since I’ve been here,” Hamilton said. “Ja’Marr [Chase] and Joe [Burrow], I feel like they always go for record games against us, so that’s like an extra chip on our shoulders going into games.”
Baltimore did get one memorable answer last season, blanking Cincinnati 24-0 in the second meeting. Hamilton said that one meant something.
“We had a shutout against them (last) year which felt good,” Hamilton said.
Still, he knows division games rarely care about the standings. In the AFC North, he said, the numbers can get thrown out the window fast.
“It’s all across the board. It doesn’t matter anybody’s records.
Somebody could be 11-2 versus 2-11,” Hamilton said. “The parity in this division is crazy.”
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