Kyle Hamilton Agrees With Ravens Biggest 2026 Critique

Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton has been very vocal about the team's struggles, especially in 2025. The defender spoke about the team's high standard and how it was not met, especially on the defensive side.

In a recent interview, Hamilton went so far as to admit he understands and agrees with the outside perspectives and current players critiquing the defense in 2025.

"It's special to have that responsibility to hold a standard. And um you know, I think we let the standard slip a little bit last year, and you're hearing it from guys who have played and rightfully so," Hamilton said. "You know, they've earned the right to um give their two cents and you know, we I feel like everybody on our team, especially the defense, kind of is humble when it comes to stuff like that and willing to take criticism and try to improve on it. So hopefully we can make them proud, make the fans proud this year."

The Ravens have always been known for defense, and the 2025 season brought a unit that underperformed in a major way. During the 2024 season, the defense picked up 54 sacks, which was good for second.

In 2025, the sack count dropped to 30, which placed the team in the bottom four. They also gave up a second-worst 247.9 passing yards per game average and 23.4 points per game. The points per game were not the worst, but definitely not where a defense wants to be. 

Baltimore's defense in 2025 was impacted by injuries, which was never an excuse to be made, per linebacker Roquan Smith. During minicamp, he pointed to the situational circumstances, but did not allow that to be the reason the unit struggled.

"I think personally my season wasn't the season that I wanted to have, regardless of the circumstances. Because you can't control circumstances, regardless of what circumstances you're put in. So, you control your response. And so, no excuses at all, but it wasn't a season of my standard, nor was it from a defense perspective as well," Smith said. 

Hamilton was indirectly mentioning what Smith had to say among the other current and former Ravens players who have offered their critiques.

Despite a 2025 that saw struggles across the board, the Ravens are expected to have a bounce-back year. That may be in large part due to the arrival of Jesse Minter and his coaching staff.

Minter is a defensive-minded coach, and previously helped to turn the Los Angeles Chargers' defense around before joining Baltimore. He also hired former Ravens defensive lineman coach Anthony Weaver.

The offense should also remain solid with Declan Doyle calling the shots and Lamar Jackson under center, but Minter and Weaver could help to restablish the strong defensive identity that the organization has been known for since its inception in 1996.