Lions Provide Blueprint for Ravens' Kyle Hamilton Extension

The Baltimore Ravens still have a few big items on their offseason to-do list, and an extension for star safety Kyle Hamilton is chief among them.

The No. 14 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Hamilton has already established himself as arguably the best safety in the league today with two All-Pro selections in his first three seasons. Solid in coverage, hard-hitting and extremely versatile, the 24-year-old is the total package.

As such, the Ravens will likely make Hamilton the league's highest-paid safety on his next extension, and they now know how much that will cost.

On Wednesday, the Detroit Lions signed star safety Kerby Joseph, who led the NFL with nine interceptions last season, to a four-year, $86 million extension. With an average salary of $21.5 million per year, he now surpasses Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Antoine Winfield Jr. as the highest-paid safety in NFL history, for now at least.

For Hamilton, Joseph's contract is certainly his new starting point in extension talks. He absolutely deserves to be the league's highest-paid safety, no matter what the current benchmark is.

The question is, how much will he make exactly?

If he signs this offseason, his contract's total value may be only a few million more than Joseph's. This is the first time he's eligible for an extension, and with the market the way it is, it makes sense that he raises it substantially, but not astronomically.

If he holds off a little bit longer, though, he could end up blowing the roof off the market. Remember, he's currently set to play on the fourth and final year of his deal in 2025, and the Ravens will almost certainly pick up his fifth-year option for 2026. That gives him a good bit of leverage when he wants to start extension talks.

It's also important to remember that this is just where his value is at now. With another strong season or two, Hamilton could very well become the league's first $100 million safety.