Jaylinn Hawkins

Patriots To Sign S Jaylinn Hawkins

The Patriots are adding some experienced safety depth to go along with Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers. Jerod Mayo‘s team is bringing in Jaylinn Hawkins, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets.

A former full-time Falcons starter, Hawkins appears on track to back up Dugger and Peppers in New England. He is signing a one-year contract, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss adds. Hawkins, 26, split last season in Atlanta and Los Angeles.

In between their Ricardo AllenKeanu Neal tandem and the Jessie Bates signing, the Falcons turned to Hawkins as a full-time starter for a season. They used the former fourth-round pick as a 16-game starter alongside Richie Grant in 2022, but Bates’ arrival on a $16MM-per-year contract led to a 2023 Hawkins demotion. The Falcons waived Hawkins in October, preceding a Chargers claim.

The Cal product intercepted four passes from 2021-22; he forced a fumble and totaled 84 tackles during the ’22 season. Pro Football Focus slotted Hawkins just outside the top 60 that season, leading to Atlanta’s Bates move under one-and-done DC Ryan Nielsen. Hawkins started three Chargers games last season.

As they transition to Mayo and DC DeMarcus Covington, the Patriots moved on from multiyear contributor Adrian Phillips. They slapped the transition tag on Dugger, and no offer sheet has emerged. Peppers is attached to a two-year, $9MM contract that expires after the 2024 season.

Chargers Claim S Jaylinn Hawkins, Place S Raheem Layne On IR

The Falcons made a semi-surprising move yesterday when they waived a full-time starter from last year, safety Jaylinn Hawkins. The Cal product hit the waiver wire, and while several teams put in a claim to acquire the 26-year-old, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, it was the Chargers who had the winning position to bring him in.

The claim is likely the result of an injury to backup safety Raheem Layne, who reportedly tore his ACL, per Daniel Popper of The Athletic. Layne was initially fighting for a roster spot to start the year, beating out Mark Webb at the roster cut deadline. He not only made the roster, but he also worked his way up the depth chart, earning a start in place of an injured Alohi Gilman in Week 3.

With Layne out, headed to injured reserve, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Hawkins comes in with the potential to step in as a starter if Gilman is forced to miss more time. The addition of Hawkins actually adds to the impressive depth of the Chargers’ safety unit. Behind Gilman and Derwin James, Dean Marlowe also provides years of starting experience to the team’s secondary. Between Marlowe and Hawkins, Los Angeles has 42 careers starts from its backups alone.

The Chargers are hoping that their acquisition of Hawkins will serve merely as insurance as Gilman continues to work his way back from the toe injury that has kept him out of the team’s past two games. In case injuries continue to cause issues, though, Los Angeles now has two solid options to start in Gilman’s place.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/17/23

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

  • Signed off Giants practice squad: S Alex Cook

Cleveland Browns

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

Philadelphia Eagles