If you’re Jaylinn Hawkins, it has been a whirlwind 12 months or so. The Thomas Dimitroff fourth round pick turned in quality work as a reserve in 2021 that he turned into a starting job at safety in 2022, only to see the Falcons bring in star safety Jessie Bates in free agency. Despite a year where he appeared in and started 16 games and improved his per-target coverage numbers and missed tackle rate, Hawkins looks like he’s set to be a reserve again in 2023.
That would already make it a pivotal, prove-it year for Hawkins—who has been a key player for Atlanta the past two seasons and has 20 starts under his belt—but it also happens to be his final year before he enters free agency.