OTL: Hurry Back (But Don’t Rush!), Kyle!

As we look forward to an important matchup against the Jaguars this Sunday, the question on every Ravens fan’s mind is, will Kyle Hamilton play?

While we still don’t have an answer yet, we got closer to one on Thursday:

Ravens injury report
DNP: QB Tyler Huntley (personal reasons)
LIMITED: S Kyle Hamilton (knee)
FULL: LBs Roquan Smith (back), Malik Harrison (groin) and Malik Hamm (ankle)

— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) December 14, 2023

For those keeping track at home, that is two straight limited practices for Hamilton this week. Hamilton was seen on the field doing drills, but right now, his status is still up in the air:

Ravens S Kyle Hamilton was more involved in practice today as he recovers from his knee injury.

Didn’t see QB Tyler Huntley, though. pic.twitter.com/wTSdqK00wd

— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) December 14, 2023

The good news is that this isn’t anything long-term, and he should be good to go down the stretch, but the Ravens have an important game on Sunday. It’s a game that will require all hands on deck. No, I don’t care about how hurt the Jags are or at what percentage Trevor Lawrence is playing, they are still a tough opponent and should not be taken lightly.

Getting Hamilton on the field is a game-changer for the Ravens because of how he changes the game:

Kyle Hamilton: The most valuable safety in the NFL, per PFF WAR pic.twitter.com/CedOoT6Dxq

— PFF (@PFF) December 14, 2023

He isn’t just some replaceable player; it seems like he is the one who keeps Mike McDonald’s system rolling. When he got taken out of the game on Sunday, the defense couldn’t stop anything, and a player like Arthur Maulet got picked apart. The problem is that they don’t have another Hamilton waiting in the wings to replace him because nobody can do everything he can. The Ravens ask a ton of Hamilton, and when you turn on the film from last Sunday, it is a different defense without him. The team needs Hamilton to play this role so everything else can fall into place.

It is like playing chess without a king piece in a way. Macdonald can’t scheme the way he wants without Hamilton because the other slot corners and safeties on the roster are far less versatile and dynamic.

I understand wanting him fully healthy, but are you willing to risk the Jags moving the ball the way the Rams did? Theoretically, they could scheme things better knowing he isn’t playing, but is that a risk they’re willing to take against a fellow AFC contender?

At the same time, what if Kyle gets hurt again? There is no correct answer here, unfortunately. If you don’t play him, you leave yourself vulnerable with playoff seeding on the line. If he does play and exacerbates the injury, then you just torpedoed your Super Bowl aspirations.

I don’t know the answer here. The Ravens have quite a balancing act in front of them.

On another note, one of the most vital aspects of this team has been their ability to add talent on the cheap:

“I didn’t realize how much fun this was going to be.”
The Ravens signed a number of veteran FAs to 1-year deals to fill roster holes. That group is a major reason why the Ravens sit atop the AFC.
On a chemistry experiment that has worked just fine: https://t.co/bSZPJ7Axy4

— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) December 14, 2023

The Ravens had gotten away from this for a while. Sure, guys like Justin Houston and Calais Campbell were productive, but they were past their primes.

They have found value this year and turned these players’ careers around. Think about how impactful Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy have been. Guys like Ronald Darby have been solid, and that is just the defense. The most impactful players have been on offense. Nelson Agholor has been as good as a depth wide receiver as you can get, and of course, there is OBJ, who is peaking at the right time.

When we said Odell didn’t sign for September football we were serious pic.twitter.com/QAxqeVbOdY

— RAMEY (@HoodieRamey) December 14, 2023

EDC cooked this off-season. Getting so much value for cheap shows the classic Ravens culture that the organization wants to push so badly. These are the on-field results that culture can bring. It has been a bit since the Ravens have hit this much on getting the most out of third-contract guys like this. It is beautiful to see and one of the biggest reasons the team is in the driver’s seat for the one seed.

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