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Inside the Kyle Hamilton deal

The Ravens, like most properly functioning football teams do, didn’t wait to pay a draft pick who panned out. After three seasons, they knew that safety Kyle Hamilton had earned a second deal.

And they gave it to him.

Here are the full details of the contract, per a source with knowledge of the terms:

1. Signing bonus: $26.9 million, with $20 million paid within 10 days and $6.9 million paid by December 31, 2025.

2. 2025 base salary: $1.1 million, fully guaranteed.

3. 2026 option bonus: $18.4 million, fully guaranteed..

4. 2026 base salary: $1.622 million, fully guaranteed.

5. 2027 base salary: $17 million, guaranteed for injury at signing and fully guaranteed in 2026.

6: 2028 base salary: $17 million, guaranteed for injury at signing and fully guaranteed in 2027.

7. 2029 90-man roster bonus: $1 million, due on the fifth day of the league year.

8. 2029 base salary: $17.9 million.

9. 2030 90-man roster bonus: $1 million, due on the fifth day of the league year.

10. 2030 base salary: $20 million.

The four-year deal has a new-money average of $25.1 million. Given the amounts he was due to make in 2025 and 2026, the contract has a value from signing of $20.32 million.

The contract pays $48 million fully guaranteed at signing, with rolling guarantees that lock in the third year by year two, and the fourth year by year three. It makes $82 million guaranteed, as a practical matter.

Lions safety Kerby Joseph had been the highest-paid safety. From a new-money standpoint, Hamilton pushed the bar $3.85 million higher.

Joseph will make $11.6 million this year; Hamilton will make $28 million. Over the next three seasons, Hamilton will out-earn Joseph by $23.4 million.

And it’s the biggest deal the Ravens have ever given to a non-quarterback.