The Ravens’ secondary was shorthanded by the end of the team’s overtime win in Week 14. Safety Kyle Hamilton exited the contest due to a knee injury, and he could miss further time as well.
An MRI revealed a Grade 1 MCL sprain, as first reported by Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. That outcome means the worst-case scenario has been avoided, a positive sign for the 2022 first-rounder. Hamilton has been enjoying a breakout season in 2023, establishing himself as an integral part of Baltimore’s defense. ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes that Hamilton is considered week-to-week at this point.
When speaking on the subject, head coach John Harbaugh – who is known for having an optimistic outlook on recovery timelines – said Hamilton is day-to-day (video link). While the 22-year-old’s Week 15 availability will be worth watching, it would come as a surprise if he were to miss significant time. That is welcomed news for the AFC leaders given Hamilton’s versatility and production this season.
The Notre Dame product has logged triple-digit snaps at both safety positions in 2023, in part due to the time missed early in the campaign by Marcus Williams. With the latter back in the fold, however, Hamilton has increasingly been used as a slot corner. It is there that he has been used most frequently, and his flexibility has produced a noteworthy stat line to date. Hamilton has 69 tackles, three sacks, nine pass deflections and a pair of interceptions (one of which was returned for a touchdown).
Those totals have produced a PFF grade of 81.5, which ranks seventh amongst safeties. Missing Hamilton for any game action down the stretch would deal a notable blow to the Ravens’ defense, a unit which has posted top-five totals in a number of categories this season. Both Williams and Geno Stone would be leaned on heavily on the backend in the event Hamilton were to miss Week 15.
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