The Baltimore Ravens could get a boost to their secondary as safety Jaylinn Hawkins returns to the practice field. Head coach Jesse Minter confirmed that Hawkins was back on the field, but the team still needs to evaluate how he responds before determining whether he'll be available Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Getting Hawkins back would give Baltimore another option in the secondary as the team prepares for an important matchup. However, Minter isn't ready to decide on his availability just yet. When asked where Hawkins stands physically and whether he could be in the mix for Monday's game, Minter said the next couple of days will be important.
"I think over the next day or two [we'll] really kind of see that. It's good to get
him back out there. I think it's one of those things [where we'll] see how it does today, see how it responds, see where it's at to see if he may have a chance to go on Monday."
Baltimore’s evaluation also involves determining what workload Hawkins could handle if he is available. Returning to the field and being ready for a full game are different steps. The Ravens will need to establish whether he can contribute reliably within the defensive plan before deciding how to distribute responsibilities against Los Angeles.
The important part of Minter's response is that Hawkins' return to practice doesn't automatically mean he's ready to play. The coaching staff wants to see how his body responds before making that determination, especially with Monday night's game approaching.
For Baltimore, having another safety available would give them more options in the secondary. The Ravens have been looking for more consistency on defense, and getting players back in the lineup could help. Still, the team has to be careful about bringing someone back before he's ready.
The next couple of days should provide a better indication of whether Hawkins can handle the workload and be available against the Chargers. Until then, his status remains something to monitor rather than a confirmed return.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens' Jaylinn Hawkins returns to practice with Monday status unclear
