Kyonte Hamilton

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Texans secured solid value with Kyonte Hamilton's four-year, $4.3M deal, landing what appears to be a fair contract for depth defensive line help. At just $1.1M annually with minimal guaranteed money, this represents smart roster building for a developmental interior lineman who can contribute on a rotational basis. The contract structure heavily favors Houston with only $100K guaranteed, creating essentially zero financial risk while providing upside if Hamilton develops into a more consistent contributor. This low-cost, high-reward approach allows the Texans to evaluate Hamilton's potential over multiple seasons without any meaningful salary cap burden. Hamilton's C+ CVI reflects the sweet spot of reasonable compensation for a player who profiles as a solid backup with starter upside — exactly the type of depth signing that championship teams make to build sustainable rosters.

Performance Analysis

Kyonte Hamilton is a seventh-round rookie out of the 2025 draft class operating squarely at the replacement-level tier among NFL defensive tackles, and his D- performance grade reflects the steep climb that faces virtually every late-round interior lineman entering the league. With no current-season stats on record, there is no statistical strength to point to — his profile is defined almost entirely by positional depth status rather than on-field production, which is consistent with the modest expectations that come with a 224th-overall selection. The absence of meaningful snap-share contributions is the most glaring weakness here, as a defensive tackle who isn't logging significant game-action in his rookie year has little opportunity to develop the leverage technique and pass-rush timing that separates rotational contributors from roster filler. At 23 years old on a rookie-scale contract at $1.1M AAV, Hamilton fits the profile of a developmental depth piece who projects as a practice-squad-level asset until he can force his way into the defensive tackle rotation. The Houston front office's offseason activity — including the release of DT Kurt Hinish with a failed injury designation — signals some roster shuffling at the position, which could theoretically crack open a path to more snaps for Hamilton, though the media framing makes clear he remains firmly below the national radar. Until he produces visible, consistent interior pressure or run-stop contributions, there is no credible case to move him out of the below-average tier, and with 135 days until the regular season, the preseason reps he earns this summer will be the most important audition of his young career.