The 2025 NFL regular season is less than two weeks away, and the Detroit Lions are gearing up for the opener against the Green Bay Packers.
This offseason, they were able to stay relatively healthy and even extend safety Kerby Joseph when he inked a four-year, $86 million deal with $36.1 million in guarantees last April. That deal made him the highest-paid safety in the league, but less than four months later, that deal looks fantastic for the Lions.
On Wednesday, Adam Schefter reported that the Baltimore Ravens and safety Kyle Hamilton agreed to a four-year, $100 million deal, with a whopping $82 million guaranteed included.
All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton and the Baltimore Ravens reached agreement today on a four-year, $100.4 million extension, the largest for a safety in NFL history. The deal, negotiated by Kyle McCarthy and Brian Murphy of @AthletesFirst, includes $82 million guaranteed - which… pic.twitter.com/HDENCgaRqa
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 27, 2025
Lions Kerby Joseph’s Contract Looks Great After Kyle Hamilton’s Deal
The AAV isn't that big between these two, as Hamilton will make $25 million and Joseph is second at $21.25 million, but the guarantees are huge. Hamilton got $46 million in guaranteed money, and that is massive.
Joseph is coming off a career year in the Motor City. In 2024, he had 83 total tackles, 12 pass deflections, and led the NFL in interceptions (9). Per Pro Football Focus, the Illinois product had a 91.3 overall grade (1st among 171 graded safeties), 92.2 coverage grade (1st among 171 graded safeties), and an 83.2 run defense grade (13th among 171 graded safeties). These numbers also led to him being a First-team All-Pro selection in 2024.
Joseph is one of the best players at safety in the NFL, but it didn't take long for another guy to overtake him as the highest-paid at his position. When looking at big extensions, the guaranteed money is one of the most important things to look at.
When a player's guaranteed money is paid, it becomes extremely easy to move the player if the team desires. While that isn't what Detroit is thinking right now, having that luxury is big for them down the line. As time goes on, other players will look to top Hamilton's deal, and that'll further push Joseph's contract down the pecking order.
With him locked in Detroit through 2029, they are focused on building the rest of the team for a Super Bowl push. They have their star safety signed for the long term, which has both sides happy leading into the campaign.