After watching the Ravens' secondary get agonizingly torched for most of 2024, Baltimore wasted no time making some much-needed changes. The Ravens have already revamped their defensive staff this offseason, bringing back Chuck Pagano and hiring Donald D’Alesio to work alongside fast-rising defensive coordinator Zach Orr.
If there was ever a position group that needed fresh eyes, it was this one.
Pagano, a respected defensive mind with a history of coaching elite defensive backs, wasted no time raving about his new group. And at the top of that list? None other than Kyle Hamilton, the All-Pro safety who continues to evolve into one of the most unique defensive players in football.
Pagano’s excitement went way beyond just praising Hamilton—he gave him an unreal nickname.
Chuck Pagano has high praise for Kyle Hamilton
Pagano has worked with some great defensive backs in his career—Ed Reed, Vontae Davis, and Eddie Jackson, to name a few—but when asked about Hamilton, he gave James Cameron movie-theater-sized praise, saying:
"He's an avatar, man. He's a freak," Pagano said. "He's unbelievable, his length, his speed, his size, his coverage for a safety, like he can cover slot receivers. It doesn't matter who it is. Like there's no panic when you watch him out there. It doesn't matter if they got him at nickel, big nickel, safety, dime, from a mental standpoint, he knows all that. He's a great communicator."
Hard to give better praise than that. Hamilton is so much more than just a safety. He lines up in the box, plays deep, covers the slot, and blitzes like a linebacker. There’s really no position he can’t play, and at just 23 years old, he’s only scratching the surface of what he can become.
And that’s exactly why Pagano’s second stint in Baltimore is such a big deal.
Hamilton is already an All-Pro talent, but under Pagano’s guidance, it's not crazy to think he could take an even bigger leap. The Ravens have a history of getting the most out of their defensive stars, and if Pagano can help refine Hamilton’s game even further (tall task), we could be talking about the best safety in football for the next decade.
Pagano isn’t the only major defensive hire this offseason. The Ravens also poached Donald D’Alesio from the Kansas City Chiefs, adding another intriguing defensive mind to help fix a pass defense that got shredded too often last season.
While the coaching changes look great, let's not forget Baltimore still has plenty of decisions to make in the secondary concerning personnel. Brandon Stephens is a free agent. Marcus Williams is likely gone. Marlon Humphrey has one of the highest cap hits on the team. There’s still work to do.
Whether that means trading for Jaire Alexander, making a move for Tyrann Mathieu, or drafting another young stud, the Ravens are fully invested in fixing this unit. And at the center of it all is Kyle Hamilton, the “Avatar” who has already cemented himself as one of the most terrifying and versatile defensive players in the league.
Pagano sees it. The Ravens know it. And soon, the NFL won’t have any other choice but to accept it.
