Excitement is in the air for Baltimore Ravens fans after they hired Jesse Minter last week. One of the most intriguing aspects of the Minter hiring is his impressive defensive background with the Los Angeles Chargers and the University of Michigan. The Ravens' defense had an uncharacteristically down season, ranking in the bottom for opponents' yards per game despite having a talented group. Minter feels poised to change this, though.
Kyle Hamilton remained a bright spot for the Ravens' defense despite the team having a bad year. He notably made an All-Pro First-Team and recorded 105 combined tackles. How Minter will use Hamilton's versatility is especially intriguing, and during his introductory press conference, he made it clear that he will take advantage of his skill set.
"Kyle is a weapon. ... As much as you can do to get Kyle near the point of attack, I think is what you do as a designer and play caller," Minter said.
The Ravens used Hamilton closer to the line of scrimmage after trading for Alohi Gilman in the middle of the season. This change helped salvage the Ravens' defense -- avoiding an outright awful defensive season. Based on this quote, it feels likely that Minter will use Hamilton in a similar way.
Minter can help Hamilton reach another level
Crucially, Minter has experience with a similar versatile safety Derwin James. This is also something Minter spoke to in his press conference.
Jesse Minter says Kyle Hamilton is a "weapon." He had a similar piece in Derwin James on the Chargers' defense.
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) January 29, 2026
"Could not be more thrilled to work with Kyle."
Undoubtedly, Minter's experience with James will help him properly utilize Hamilton's all-around skill set, which will uplift the Ravens' defense as a whole.
Hamilton being moved closer to the point of attack can help the Ravens pressure opposing QBs and stop the run at a higher rate. We got a taste of this at the end of last season -- but under Minter, this scheme could be even more effective. And if needed, Hamilton can be moved back to help the Ravens' secondary.
Taking advantage of Hamilton's versatility and building a system around him is logical, and this could help the Ravens get back to their typical elite standards.
Hamilton has excelled over the past two seasons despite being in a scheme that didn't fully optimize him. Yes, Zach Orr moved him around the field -- but there's no denying that Minter's system will be an upgrade for Hamilton, especially in terms of creativity and aggressiveness. Of course, Hamilton had the luxury of being a part of Mike Macdonald's system during his first two seasons -- and he thrived in it.
Regardless, now that Hamilton has a brilliant defensive-minded coach and is entering his true prime. As such, it's fair to expect that he'll reach yet another level.
Since Hamilton is already the league's best safety, the possibility of him leveling up again should be a scary thought for the other 31 teams.