The Patriots are signing free-agent safety Jaylinn Hawkins, a source confirmed to the Herald.
The 26-year-old split last season between the Chargers and Falcons, totaling 14 tackles and one pass deflection. Atlanta made him a surprise cut in mid-October, which allowed Los Angeles to claim him the following day. Hawkins primarily played on special teams and projects as a backup safety in New England, where the Patriots recently released veteran Adrian Phillips and saw fellow safety Jalen Mills walk in free agency.
Hawkins spent the first three seasons of his career with the Falcons. He entered the league as a fourth-round pick in 2020 out of Cal. He enjoyed his best season in 2022, starting 16 games while racking up 84 tackles, six pass deflections and a force fumble. Last season, he saw most of his snaps on special teams (125 to 29 defensive snaps in Atlanta) before the Chargers used him as a defensive backup in the second half of the year.
MassLive reports Hawkins has inked a 1-year deal with the Patriots. He joins Kyle Dugger (who has yet to sign his transition tag), Jabrill Peppers, Marte Mapu, Joshuah Bledsoe and Brenden Schooler on the team’s safety depth chart.