The Ravens, like most properly functioning football teams do, didn’t wait to pay a draft pick who panned out. After three seasons, they knew that safety Kyle Hamilton had earned a second deal.
And they gave it to him.
Here are the full details of the contract, per a source with knowledge of the terms:
1. Signing bonus: $26.9 million, with $20 million paid within 10 days and $6.9 million paid by December 31, 2025.
2. 2025 base salary: $1.1 million, fully guaranteed.
3. 2026 option bonus: $18.4 million, fully guaranteed..
4. 2026 base salary: $1.622 million, fully guaranteed.
5. 2027 base salary: $17 million, guaranteed for injury at signing and fully guaranteed in 2026.
6: 2028 base salary: $17 million, guaranteed for injury at signing and fully guaranteed in 2027.
7. 2029 90-man roster bonus: $1 million, due on the fifth day of the league year.
8. 2029 base salary: $17.9 million.
9. 2030 90-man roster bonus: $1 million, due on the fifth day of the league year.
10. 2030 base salary: $20 million.
The four-year deal has a new-money average of $25.1 million. Given the amounts he was due to make in 2025 and 2026, the contract has a value from signing of $20.32 million.
The contract pays $48 million fully guaranteed at signing, with rolling guarantees that lock in the third year by year two, and the fourth year by year three. It makes $82 million guaranteed, as a practical matter.
Lions safety Kerby Joseph had been the highest-paid safety. From a new-money standpoint, Hamilton pushed the bar $3.85 million higher.
Joseph will make $11.6 million this year; Hamilton will make $28 million. Over the next three seasons, Hamilton will out-earn Joseph by $23.4 million.
And it’s the biggest deal the Ravens have ever given to a non-quarterback.