Ken Hamlin Agrees To Join Ravens
By Joe Barnes
Some quick, fairly significant news today out of the Ravens’ camp. The team and defensive back Ken Hamlin have agreed on what is thought to be a one-year contract. Here’s an
excerpt from the PFT post:
"Baltimore agreed to terms with safety Ken Hamlin on a one-year contract Thursday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.We don’t know the details, but it’s safe to say Hamlin will take a sizable hair cut from his bloated salary with the Cowboys. (Perhaps this is more like shaving your head than a haircut.)"
Click “Continue Reading” to find out more about the newest Baltimore Ravens player.
Hamlin’s career has been an odd one. A guy who was a 2nd round pick in 2003, Hamlin started 30 of his first 32 career games with the Seattle Seahawks. After getting into a very serious fight in 2005, the Arkansas product bounced back with an effective 2006 season for the Seahawks. Moving to Dallas in 2007, Hamlin was impressive with 5 interceptions and made his first Pro Bowl appearance. Following that breakout campaign, Hamlin crashed back on Earth and was released by the Cowboys this offseason after three seasons in white and blue.
As a Raven, Hamlin could play either as a cornerback or safety, both being places where help is needed. You’ll see this later as I continue the position outlooks, but I project him as slotting in behind Chris Carr on the depth chart. If Lardarius Webb and Fabian Washington end up out to start the season, this puts him 3rd on the depth chart. If they are healthy, he falls to 5th.
Personally, I think this is a very smart signing. Being able to add a veteran who has the potential to be as good as Hamlin when you have a positional need is a great move. A one-year contract would be expected, and we can’t be sure about Hamlin’s job security for a while. If John Harbaugh and Co. don’t think of him as highly as I do, it’s possible he could be fighting to just nab a spot on the roster.
And don’t be too sure that Hamlin will be the only signing this week. Last night while doing a radio spot on WBAL, Harbaugh said the team would sign “at least one” of the three veterans they had worked out: Hamlin, Ken Lucas, and Walt Harris. (Hat-tip to Mike Duffy).