Kyle Hamilton has become the football equivalent of Flex Tape for the Ravens’ defense, but Jesse Minter could put that adaptability to a different use in 2026. NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice ranked Baltimore’s defense seventh in the league entering the 2026 season, pointing specifically toward Minter’s previous work with Derwin James and what a similar approach could mean for Kyle Hamilton. Hamilton earned his third consecutive All-Pro selection last season and has already spent much of his career bouncing between positions.
The Notre Dame alum logged 355 snaps as a box safety, 298 as a slot corner, 164 as an outside linebacker, 162 as a free safety, and 24 as a wide cornerback, according to Ravens editorial director Ryan Mink. Hamilton’s versatility is hardly a new development, which makes the more interesting question how Jesse Minter plans to use it within a defense built around adaptability.
Minter Could Give Hamilton A More Aggressive Role
(Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images)
Jesse Minter’s defensive philosophy seems to hinge on heavy zone usage, using extra defensive backs and a versatile safety to generate pressure without relying heavily on conventional blitz packages. Los Angeles played zone on 80.7% of its defensive snaps in 2025, while using dime personnel at the third-highest rate in the NFL and blitzing at the league’s third-lowest rate.
Derwin James did most of his work in this system near the line of scrimmage, compiling 236 snaps in the slot, 203 in the box, and 89 along the defensive line. Does that sort of usage remind you of someone?
James and Hamilton are not copy-and-paste players, but both are big, physical defensive backs capable of rushing the passer without sacrificing much in coverage. Minter could carry over some of the same packages he used with James, and their 2025 numbers makes that an easy claim to make.
According to PFF, James led all safeties with 71 pass-rush snaps last season. Hamilton was second with 69. James generated 13 pressures to Hamilton’s 12, while their production against the run was nearly identical as well. James ranked third among safeties with 34 stops, just one ahead of Hamilton’s 33.
So there is no real need for Minter to force Hamilton to become something he is not. He can continue letting the All-Pro safety thrive near the line of scrimmage as a run defender and pass-rush threat while still trusting him in the zone-heavy coverages that defined his Chargers defenses.
That balance is probably music to Hamilton’s ears. During Ravens minicamp, the All-Pro said, “I don’t want to be Jack of all trades, master of none, and I feel like I haven’t mastered anything right now.” Hamilton is talented enough to master a specific role without sacrificing the versatility that makes him special, and Minter’s system could allow him to find that balance.
