Behind the scenes, both the New England Patriots and free agent safety Jaylinn Hawkins seem to both be interested in keeping the veteran in Foxboro.
The Boston Globe’s Christopher Price reported at the start of the offseason that the Patriots and reps for Hawkins continued to talk about a potential return to New England but to this point, nothing had materialized just yet.
However, it sounds like progress is being made.
ESPN’s Mike Reiss appeared on Toucher & Rich on 98.5 The Sports Hub on Wednesday, and according to what he’s hearing, it sounds like the two sides might be close to potentially getting something done.
“I think it’s important, John [Wallach], and I think they’re still working at that,” said Reiss on a new Hawkins deal. “I don’t know where that stands right now, but I know, as we’ve heard Hawkins publicly say, he’d love to come back. Not sure why that isn’t done yet, but maybe something that unfolds today.”
Reiss added that, “One way or the other,” we might soon have an answer.
Hawkins is coming off a solid year for New England, with the veteran playing well alongside rookie Craig Woodson. He finished the regular season with six passes defended, good for 4th on the team behind Marcus Jones (11), Christian Gonzalez (10), and Carlton Davis (10). He also led the team in interceptions with four.
He was also one of their most reliable players, playing 92.1% of the defensive snaps through 15 of the Patriots’ 17 regular-season games, along with 838 snaps on defense, third most behind Carlton Davis (926) and Woodson (950).
All indications seemed at the end of the season he wanted to come back, and it appears he may be a little closer to being in the fold.
That would be good news for a Patriots defense that has already seen four notable names move on. New England released linebackers Jahlani Tavai and Anfernee Jennings, while defensive lineman Khyris Tonga and linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson both signed elsewhere in free agency.
They’ve seen a total of 12 players depart overall thus far, while bringing in six new additions through the first three days of free agency.
🔍 Questions Answered in This Article
What is the latest on Jaylinn Hawkins' contract with the Patriots?
ESPN's Mike Reiss reported that progress is being made on a potential new deal for Jaylinn Hawkins with the New England Patriots, suggesting the two sides might be close to an agreement.
Does Jaylinn Hawkins want to return to the New England Patriots?
Yes, Jaylinn Hawkins has publicly stated his desire to return to the New England Patriots. Both he and the team seem interested in keeping the veteran safety in Foxboro.
How did Jaylinn Hawkins perform for the Patriots last season?
Jaylinn Hawkins had a solid year for New England, playing 92.1% of the defensive snaps through 15 games. He recorded 838 snaps on defense, ranking third on the team.
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Ian Logue is a Seacoast native and owner and senior writer for PatsFans.com, an independent media site covering the New England Patriots and has been running this site in one form or another since 1997.
