The Baltimore Ravens added some needed depth at the safety position at the start of training camp by signing veteran Eddie Jackson. Jackson is known as a ballhawk from his time with the Chicago Bears and will have the chance to see the field frequently this season in place of Geno Stone, who departed in free agency to sign with the Cincinnati Bengals.
All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton was asked about his first impression of Jackson.
“Well [in his] first practice, he went out there and got a pick-six, which was fire,” Hamilton said. “He’s a really cool dude. It’s always fun to hear him tell stories about college [at the University of Alabama] – [about] Marlon [Humphrey] and how wild he was; he’s kind of toned it down a little bit now. He’s another vet – we seem to do this all the time – just get these vets that come here and do so much for us during the season. It’s going to be so big for us to have him as a part of the team. With the other guys in the DB room – we’re just so deep in that room – we can never get tired, we can never have somebody that’s on the field that’s a liability. It’s just such a disadvantage for the offense to trot out the same people and have us rotating guys. I think it’s really special to have him here.”
Hamilton and Marcus Williams will serve as the team’s two starting safeties, but considering how much Hamilton is moved around the field, there will be plenty of opportunities for Jackson to play on the backend of the defense this season.