The New England Patriots’ safety room will be looking differently in 2026. Jaylinn Hawkins, a starter for the team last season, is leaving the team in NFL free agency.
Hawkins is signing a two-year, $10 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens, according to a report by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
A fourth-round selection out of Cal in the 2020 NFL Draft, Hawkins began his career with the Falcons and later also had a brief stint with the Chargers. In 2024, after having played a respective 48 and 10 games
for his previous teams, he made the move to New England.
Over the next two seasons, Hawkins saw action in a combined 36 regular season and playoff contests with 26 starts. He picked up 134 tackles, four interceptions and a pair of fumble recoveries along the way. All four of those picks came in 2025, when he and rookie Craig Woodson formed New England’s starting safety tandem.
Hawkins finished the season with a career-best 1,102 defensive snaps (85.8%), building on the 612 snaps (54.7%) he played in his first year in Foxborough. In addition, he also was a regular on special teams early in his Patriots career.
The 29-year-old is leaving the Patriots on the same day the team reportedly signed first-team All-Pro Kevin Byard to a one-year, $9 million deal.
