Meet Our Free Safety

[mgteich]

Folks seem to think that we don't have one and that we need to move another CB or two to FS.

Patriots free agency signing Jaylinn Hawkins helps fill two needs on the roster

Hawkins has joined the Patriots on a one-year contract.

www.patspulpit.com

Hawkins is exactly what we need as our 4th safety: a player who plays on 5 special teams units and who is a free safety. To repeat, he isn't a CB or SS converting to free safety; Hawkins is a free safety.

 

[slash83]

If he can hold it down in the back end and allow Dug and Pep to play closer to the line and wreck havoc that would be absolutely huge.

 

[50-yard-line]

I commented on this when he first signed. Hawkins was an unsung rising star in Atlanta, playing very well, but they changed scheme or something and kind of buried him on the depth chart.

He'll fit in with what the Pats need at the position, I expect. probably won't get a ton of snaps, but when they need a roamer deep...

 

[mgteich]

I commented on this when he first signed. Hawkins was an unsung rising star in Atlanta, playing very well, but they changed scheme or something and kind of buried him on the depth chart.

He'll fit in with what the Pats need at the position, I expect. probably won't get a ton of snaps, but when they need a roamer deep...

I would think that he is at least a break-even replacement for Mills.

 

[Water Boy]

I tried to look up his 40 time. He didn't run at the combine. His athletic scores are pedestrian at best. Maybe he's just a good football player with good instincts and anticipation. Hope so. I'm used McCourty roaming center field, playing single high with 4.3 speed.

I want a guy with good closing speed at that position.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Sign Justin Simmons already.

 

[mgteich]

Sign Justin Simmons already.

How much should we spend to win an extra game or even two?

 

[TheRainMaker]

How much should we spend to win an extra game or even two?

In Mayo's case, he needs every game he can win. They've had no problem overpaying their own, so they can throw out some money to sign a 2023 2nd team All Pro and Pro Bowler to help fix a glaring hole at FS.

 

[Zuma]

It’s taken me a bit to get over the fact that a single deep safety is no longer a full-time gig. Hawkins it is.

 

[rkarp1]

It’s taken me a bit to get over the fact that a single deep safety is no longer a full-time gig. Hawkins it is.

good point. the team will want it's best players on the field and for the D, that means Peppers and Dugger.

 

[mgteich]

good point. the team will want it's best players on the field and for the D, that means Peppers and Dugger.

and peppers was one of the best free safeties in nfl last year.

In any case, which free safety is sooo good that we should pay him big bucks so that we can put Peppers on the bench.

Yes, I know that we sometimes have 3 safeties playing. But hiring a starting free safety would relegate Peppers to be being a backup.
==========
BACKUPS
If Peppers goes out, Hawkins replaces him at free safety.
If Dugger goes out, Hawkins goes to free safety and Peppers to strong safety. (or Peppers replaces Dugger at strong safety).
If someone is injured LT, a corner of Mapu could be the backup safety.
=========

 

[borisman]

I am surprised no reporter asked Mayo whether the Pats are all set at the FS spot. Maybe they did and I missed it.

 

[Real fan 02]

Folks seem to think that we don't have one and that we need to move another CB or two to FS.

Patriots free agency signing Jaylinn Hawkins helps fill two needs on the roster

Hawkins has joined the Patriots on a one-year contract.

www.patspulpit.com

Hawkins is exactly what we need as our 4th safety: a player who plays on 5 special teams units and who is a free safety. To repeat, he isn't a CB or SS converting to free safety; Hawkins is a free safety.

Yeah.. I like that he's on the roster.. FS is a vital role for the defense.. FS along with MIKE LB are responsible for the calls... I'd absolutely be thrilled is he balled out in camp and carved out a FS role...

 

[Real fan 02]

and peppers was one of the best free safeties in nfl last year.

In any case, which free safety is sooo good that we should pay him big bucks so that we can put Peppers on the bench.

Yes, I know that we sometimes have 3 safeties playing. But hiring a starting free safety would relegate Peppers to be being a backup.
==========
BACKUPS
If Peppers goes out, Hawkins replaces him at free safety.
If Dugger goes out, Hawkins goes to free safety and Peppers to strong safety. (or Peppers replaces Dugger at strong safety).
If someone is injured LT, a corner of Mapu could be the backup safety.
=========

Only things are pep and gonzo are likely never coming off the field.. so Hawkins could be a nice piece for us.. he could possibly co-exist with pep& Dugger.

He will need to carve out that role for himself in camp. So Hawkins, pep, Dugger are your starting S.

 

[mgteich]

I am surprised no reporter asked Mayo whether the Pats are all set at the FS spot. Maybe they did and I missed it.

Maybe the reporters understand that our 2023 free safety was one of the best in the nfl

 

[borisman]

Maybe the reporters understand that our 2023 free safety was one of the best in the nfl

Then why are there mentions of Dugger and Mapu seeing more snaps at that spot? Yeah yeah depth, experience, we play a lot of 3 safeties, rotations, etc.
I like Peppers but I’m not sold he’s the replacement for DMac. He still saw a lot of time in the box. And he needs to stay healthy but that is the case for all players.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

How much should we spend to win an extra game or even two?

With this logic we would not sign any FAs?

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Hawkins was waived last October by the Falcons. If we are depending on Hawkins at FS, this season will be worse than expected. Sign a real FS like Simmons.

 

[TheRainMaker]

and peppers was one of the best free safeties in nfl last year.

I like Peppers, but nobody seems to agree with your assessment. If he was, he’d be a 1st team or 2nd team All Pro or Pro Bowler.

Signing Dugger with Peppers already on the roster is redundant. Franchising Dugger backfired and that money could’ve been applied elsewhere and Peppers could’ve taken his place. It makes the Mapu pick look even worse. What are you going to do with him?

 

[mgteich]

With this logic we would not sign any FAs?

I would sign no top free agents from other team. Perhaps Gilmore should be the exception. His signing would provide veteran leadership to the cornerback corps.
=================
Consider what Wolf did.
He decided which of our won he wanted to keep and re-signed them.

And then, how many free agents from other teams did he sign to a contract of more than a year? just Gibson and Takitaki I think. All the rest were the usual one-year fill-in and perhaps show me contracts. I think that these two wouldn't have been signed if we were able to re-sign Zeke and Mack.

The only real exception is the continuing effort to acquire a #1 WR. Here, Wolf is willing to pay. But make no mistake, any 2024 compensation is essentially a waste, only justified if he thought that that the cost for 2025-2027 would be more than for 2024-2027. Of course, top WR's are hard to find and he may not be willing to pay the $30M a year that an Aijuk wants.