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The 2025 season was one of change for the New England Patriots, and the safety position was not immune to it either. Despite entering training camp with two longtime starters seemingly entrenched atop the depth chart, the group looked entirely different by the time the regular season was kicked off.
Now heading into 2026, more change might be on the horizon. One of those new starters, after all, is headed for unrestricted free agency and possibly looking for the first big payday of his career.
Will Jaylinn Hawkins get it? And will it come from the Patriots or another team? Let’s assess his situation.
Hard facts
Name: Jaylinn Hawkins
Position: Safety
Jersey number: 21
Opening day age: 29 (8/25/1997)
Measurements: 6’0 1/2”, 208 lbs, 31 3/4” arm length, 9 1/2” hand size, 35 1/2” vertical jump, 9’9” broad jump, N/A Relative Athletic Score
Experience
NFL: Atlanta Falcons (2020-23), Los Angeles Chargers (2023), New England Patriots (2024-) | College: California (2015-19)
A four-star recruit out of Buena Park High School in Buena Park, CA, as a wide receiver, Hawkins decided to stay in his home state for his college career and committed to Cal. Once arriving in Berkeley, he moved to the other side of the ball and went on to spend five years with the Golden Bears as a safety.
In that role, he appeared in 49 games with 39 starts during his college career, and registered 158 tackles, 10 interceptions, three forced fumbles, and a pair of sacks. A honorable All-Pac 12 mention his senior campaign, Hawkins entered the 2020 NFL Draft as a projected late-round pick or rookie free agent.
He didn’t have to wait that long to come off the board and heard his name called 134th overall, joining the Falcons as a fourth-round selection. He was initially installed as a core special teamer and backup defender but saw his role evolve over the subsequent three years, to a point where he became a starting safety before being demoted to a rotational role again.
Following his in-season release from the Falcons in 2023, Hawkins joined the Chargers as a waiver claim. Five months later, he was on the move again, joining the Patriots on the first of back-to-back one-year free agency deals. In total, he has appeared in a combined 94 regular season and playoff games with 51 starts over the course of his NFL career, registering eight interceptions and three fumble recoveries.
2025 review
Stats: 19 games (19 starts) | 1,102 defensive snaps (85.8%), 71 special teams snaps (13.0%) | 85 tackles, 10 missed tackles (10.5%), 3 TFLs, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery | 11 quarterback pressures (1.5 sacks, 3 hits, 6 hurries) | 32 targets, 22 catches surrendered (68.8%), 254 yards, 3 TDs, 4 INTs, 2 PBUs | 1 special teams tackle | 3 penalties
Season recap: Coming off one of the best seasons of his career, Jaylinn Hawkins decided to re-sign with the Patriots on a one-year, $1.8 million contract reflective of his status as the team’s third safety and a core member of its kicking game operation. When he entered training camp four months later, little suggested that his outlook would dramatically change entering 2025.
But, change it very much did.
With previous starter Kyle Dugger working his way back from offseason ankle injury, Hawkins saw an extended run with the starters in training camp and never left the lineup. His position was further strengthened when the team somewhat surprisingly decided to move on from another veteran, Jabrill Peppers, in late August. As a consequence, Hawkins and rookie Craig Woodson were the top two at the safety spot entering the regular season — a hierarchy that remained changed for the rest of the year.
For Hawkins, this was an opportunity he has not had since his third season with the Falcons: after multiple years of primarily being a role and special teams player, he suddenly had become a three-down starting safety again. He looked the part, too.
While he did miss a pair of games in October with a hamstring injury, Hawkins rarely left the field and proved to be a stable and versatile presence in the New England secondary. He finished the season tied for the team lead in interceptions (4) and was a big reason why the team rarely surrendered any deep pass plays. In addition, he also was active in the ground game, with 45 of his 85 tackles coming against the run.
In the playoffs, he also showed that he can be an effective blitzer. With the Patriots defense becoming more aggressive, 18 of his total 35 pass rush snaps on the year (51.4%) came in the team’s four postseason contests.
All in all, Hawkins looked comfortable operating in the zone-heavy coverage shells the Patriots introduced under their new coaching staff. And while he does have some weakness playing one-on-one, he still proved to be an above-average starter and reliable glue guy in the team’s defensive backfield.
Free agency preview
Free agency status: Unrestricted free agent (UFA)
What is his contract history? Even though he is coming off his sixth season as a pro, Hawkins has primarily played on moderate contracts so far in his career. In fact, the biggest deal he ever received in terms of annual average was the $1.8 million pact the Patriots gave him last March. As a consequence, Over the Cap has calculated his total career earnings at $7.5 million — a lot of money, but a sum that pales in comparison to what other starting safeties re currently getting paid.
Which teams might be in the running? Hawkins’ market will largely depend on how teams view him; is he indeed a starter and every-down defender or more suited to be a role and special teams player akin to how the Patriots used him in 2024? The latter projection would widen his scope, while the former would probably make him a target for safety-needy teams like the Chiefs, Bengals, Cowboys, Eagles, Bears, Rams or Cardinals.
Why should he be expected back? The Patriots received some solid contributions from Hawkins in 2025 and he looks like a player well-suited for the defensive scheme they want to run. While he might be better served as a third option instead of a top-two safety, he has shown his value as a deep-field defender, communicator and ballhawk. Add his special teams experience and the fact that the team’s safety depth chart outside of him and sophomore Craig Woodson is rather uninspiring, and you could see why New England might have a vested interest in retaining him.
Why should he be expected to leave? If the Patriots believe they can upgrade their second starting safety spot opposite Craig Woodson while also getting cheaper in the process, they likely would not be opposed to taking that route. And given that they seem willing to let Hawkins test the market, there is a scenario where he simply prices himself out of the club’s comfort zone or is let go in favor of a different free agent or potential future draft selection (or a combination of both).
What is his projected free agency outcome? Losing Hawkins would create a serious hole in the Patriots secondary and there are no clear ways to fix it right now, at least on the current roster. So, unless they go hard after outside free agents like Kamren Curl (Rams), Bryan Cook (Chiefs), Jaquan Brisker (Bears), Coby Bryant (Seahawks), Alohi Gilman (Ravens) or others, retaining the 28-year-old and adding a potential longer-term solution in the draft might be the play. If so, a two-year deal worth around $12 million should do the trick.
Now it’s your turn to play GM: What would you do with Jaylinn Hawkins? Bring him back after he hits the market? Re-sign him beforehand? Not re-sign him at all? Please head down to the comment section to share your plan.