A source confirmed to the Herald that the Patriots are adding free-agent safety Jaylinn Hawkins.
Last season, the 26-year-old split his time between the Chargers and Falcons. He made 14 tackles and deflected one pass. Atlanta unexpectedly cut him in mid-October, which led to Los Angeles claiming him off waivers the next day. Hawkins mainly played on special teams and is expected to be a backup safety for New England. The Patriots recently released veteran Adrian Phillips and saw fellow safety Jalen Mills leave in free agency.
Hawkins was drafted as a fourth-round pick in 2020 from Cal and spent the first three seasons of his career with the Falcons, having his best season in 2022 with 84 tackles, six pass deflections, and a forced fumble. Last year, he played mostly on special teams (125 snaps) compared to 29 defensive snaps in Atlanta. The Chargers later used him as a defensive backup and special-teamer in the second half of the year.
According to MassLive, Hawkins has agreed to a 1-year contract with the Patriots. He will be joining Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers, Marte Mapu, Joshuah Bledsoe, and Brenden Schooler in the team’s safety room.
