OTL: Pass Rushers Steal Headlines, but Hawkins Addition is Key

The first wave of free agency has come and gone, and for the Baltimore Ravens, it will likely be remembered for the signing of former Cincinnati Bengals star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson.

How could it not?

General Manager Eric DeCosta quickly pivoted to Hendrickson to address the team’s need for pass rush help after Baltimore’s blockbuster trade attempt to acquire superstar edge rusher Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders fell through.

But while the arrival of Hendrickson understandably generated buzz around the league, Baltimore made another key defensive addition, one that could prove just as important, yet which has received far less attention.

Heading into free agency, it was expected that the Ravens would add reinforcements at safety. The departures of Ar’Darius Washington to former head coach John Harbaugh and the New York Giants as well as Alohi Gilman to the rival Kansas City Chiefs only confirmed that need.

The front office acted swiftly, signing former New England Patriots safety Jaylinn Hawkins to a two-year deal worth up to $10 million — a team-friendly contract for one of the league’s most underrated defensive backs.

Tale of the Tape: Does Jaylinn Hawkins Upgrade the 3rd Safety Spot?

Ravens Flock should be vaguely familiar with the name considering he was responsible for forcing a game-changing fumble on running back Derrick Henry during the Ravens’ heartbreaking 28-24 loss to the Patriots in Week 16.

Hawkins, 28, began his professional career as a fourth-round selection by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2020 NFL Draft. After four seasons in Atlanta, he spent a year with his hometown Los Angeles Chargers before joining New England in 2024. Hawkins spent the past two seasons with the Patriots, where he quietly emerged as one of the most efficient safeties in football.

The California native logged 838 defensive snaps during the 2025 regular season — 524 at free safety, 201 at box safety, 93 at slot cornerbacks, and 18 along the defensive line.

His workload highlights one of the most valuable traits a defensive back can possess under new Ravens head coach Jesse Minter: versatility.

Often in nickel or dime coverage during his time as the Chargers defensive coordinator, Minter leaned heavily on three-safety packages, using defensive backs interchangeably across the field to disguise coverages.

Los Angeles allowed the fifth-fewest passing yards per game (179.9) last season, largely due to All-Pro safety Derwin James Jr. leading the charge in the secondary. But as Minter transitions from “Ravens West,” he is moving from one All-Pro safety to another.

When news first broke of Minter’s hiring, fans raved over what it meant for superstar Kyle Hamilton in particular. With Hawkins now in the mix, Baltimore’s new head coach can comfortably deploy Hamilton in a James-like utility role, continuing to develop the 25-year-old safety as a box safety, pass rusher, and slot corner.

The former Patriot amplifies the flexibility of Minter’s zone-heavy scheme, perfectly filling a crucial third-safety role that opens up the rest of Baltimore’s new-look defense.

And instead of Gilman, who allowed the eighth-most yards per catch among NFL safeties (min. 400 snaps) and has now been let go by Minter twice in the span of five months, it will be Hawkins manning the deep safety spot in the secondary alongside former first-round pick Malaki Starks. A significantly more dynamic look than the Ravens secondary that allowed the second-most passing yards per game (247.9) in 2025.

Hawkins’ value to the team extends beyond his ideal scheme fit, however.

If you are a fan of statistical metrics, be it Pro Football Focus, Amazon Next Gen Stats, or another platform, then you have another reason to absolutely love the Ravens’ latest addition to the secondary.

Hawkins, a 15-game starter for New England, finished the season with 62 tackles, 1.5 sacks, four interceptions, and two passes broken up, per PFF.

PFF graded him the fifth-best starting safety in football, finishing the regular season with an 82.4 defensive grade. More interestingly, however, Hawkins was also graded the best run-defending safety last season (min. 400 snaps), notching an 87.1 grade. Baltimore now possesses three safeties with top 20 run blocking grades during the 2025 season, a glimpse into the strength of the team’s upgraded run defense.

Hawkins was also exceptionally sound in coverage.

The former California Golden Bear logged 501 coverage snaps, grading out as the eighth-best coverage safety (79.0) with at least 400 defensive snaps, per PFF. Hawkins also allowed a 73.7 passer rating, good for 13th among safeties with the same criteria.

He earned a 27.3 “hawk percentage,” an Amazon Next Gen stat that tracks the percentage of targets where the defender makes a play on the ball. His percentage ranked ninth among defensive players with at least 20 targets.

His skillset and scheme fit should leave fans encouraged about the current state of the secondary.

Hawkins’ team-friendly contract also gives the Ravens ample flexibility on the slight off-chance that the signing fails to pan out.

Emphasis on off-chance.

After a catastrophic defensive season in Baltimore, the team was in desperate need of a spark. And, throwing big-time dollars at Hendrickson will absolutely alleviate a number of those issues, but one player was never going to single-handedly mount a turnaround for the unit.

They need a well-rounded group of playmakers that flow well together, as prioritized by Minter in Los Angeles. Hawkins fits perfectly into that mold. He’s a chess piece for Minter’s vision in Baltimore.

With all the buzz in Charm City around Hendrickson and Crosby, the addition of Hawkins has flown under the radar.

So, if Ravens Flock hasn’t already taken notice, they soon will.

The post OTL: Pass Rushers Steal Headlines, but Hawkins Addition is Key appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2026/03/16/out-to-lunch/hawkins/