NFL personnel inadvertently crowns Baltimore Ravens' top duo as the best in latest ESPN poll
The Baltimore Ravens know a thing or two about safety play.Long after the days of Hall of Famer Ed Reed patrolling the secondary, Baltimore's current starting tandem of Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams has become the top duo in the NFL.And that's not me saying that. Members of the league itself have proclaimed it true […]
The Baltimore Ravens know a thing or two about safety play.
Long after the days of Hall of Famer Ed Reed patrolling the secondary, Baltimore's current starting tandem of Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams has become the top duo in the NFL.
And that's not me saying that. Members of the league itself have proclaimed it true without even trying to do so.
Hamilton was voted as the #2 safety in the NFL according to executives, coaches and scouts as gathered by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Williams was one of several honorable mentions who just missed out on the outlet's top 10.
This made the Ravens the only team with two players on the entire list.
What makes the duo so special is how they complement each other. Hamilton can basically do it all and line up anywhere from the box, slot, or in a deep shell.
"The ultimate Swiss Army knife that was used to in every way possible last season. He was a defender opposing offenses had to be aware of on every snap." – NFC scout on Hamilton
2023 was a fantastic year for Hamilton as he intercepted four passes, broke up another 13, and racked up three sacks on his way to his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors. His new defensive coordinator Zach Orr has even larger expectations for him going forward.
While Hamilton is proving to be the definition versatile, Williams has a specific skillset that makes him valuable. He's one of the few players around the league with legitimate sideline-to-sideline range. It allows Hamilton to stay close to the line of scrimmage.
"Not many guys who have his range. Guys who can play in the middle of the field with ball skills are rare. It's just that he's missed time the last two years with injury," – NFC coordinator on Williams
Williams' injury issues have caused him to miss 13 games since signing with the Ravens in 2022. His time missed from last year led to a breakout year for Geno Stone, who left for the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency. That Williams was included in the list altogether despite missing six regular season games is a testament to how respected he is as a seven-year veteran.
Even with Stone gone, the Ravens are looking better than any other team in the league at safety. Local college product Beau Brade joining the team as an undrafted free agent to round out the group should only boost the depth in case Williams' durability concerns persist.
NFL Execs, coaches and scouts disrespect the hell out of Ravens running back Derrick Henry in latest ranking
Every summer ESPN's Jeremy Fowler gets together with NFL coaches, execs and scouts to rank the top 10 of each position in the league. On Monday they put together their top 10 running backs list and new Ravens' running back Derrick Henry took quite a slap in the face. After finishing the 2023 season second in rushing yards […]
