Falcons Re-signed $50.85 Million Ex-Player For 2024 Season On A Year Contract…
FOXBORO — The New England Patriots have added some veteran help to their defensive backfield for the upcoming season. The Pats, per a Thursday morning NFL Network report, are signing former Atlanta Falcons safety Jaylinn Hawkins. The 26-year-old spent last season with the Los Angeles Chargers. Hawkins’ contract, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, is a one-year deal qualifies for the veteran salary benefit. Assuming Hawkins makes the team, he is expected to be paid a base salary based on his credited seasons (four), but count less against the salary cap.
Having played four collegiate seasons (and one redshirt year) with the California Golden Bears, Hawkins was selected No. 134 overall by the Falcons in the fourth-round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He arguably entered the collective consciousness of the NFL universe during Atlanta’s Week 6 of the 2022 season against the San Francisco 49ers when he recovered a fumble in the end zone for his first career touchdown. He also recorded an interception in the same game
During his three seasons with the Falcons, he recorded 121 total tackles, nine passes-defensed, four interceptions, while making 22 starts in 48 games played. After being waived by Atlanta last October, the 6-1, 208-pound safety was claimed by the Chargers. He played in 10 games for the Bolts, making three starts. However, his production was limited to only one pass-breakup, while assisting on seven tackles. Last season, Patriots safeties Kyle Dugger and Phillips formed one of the top defensive backfield tandems in the NFL, routinely leading the team in snaps taken on defense. Peppers put up Pro Bowl-worthy numbers, finishing the year with 78 total tackles, eight passes-defensed, one sack and one interception — as well as a forced fumble and a recovery. Dugger led all defensive backs with 109 total tackles, while also compiling seven passes-defensed, two interceptions and 1.5 sacks. Jalen Mills settles into the third spot along the depth chart, earning 45 total tackles and a forced fumble. Lastly, Adrian Phillips continued to play an elder-statesman, advisory type role, despite a drastic reduction in his defensive snap counts.
Following Phillips’ release and Mills signing a free agent deal with the New York Giants, the Pats are a bit thin at the position. Despite applying the transition tag to Dugger, the Pats still run the slight risk of losing their top safety to an offer sheet they are unwilling to match. Beyond Peppers, the Pats have only third-year defensive back Joshuah Bledsoe and special teams ace Brendan Schooler under contract.
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Atlanta Falcons may turn to trade market to solve their biggest need…
Now that the Atlanta Falcons have added Kirk Cousins and a few more playmakers, the biggest remaining need is fixing Raheem Morris’ defense. Boasting the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Falcons are in a strong position to get one of the best prospects available. Plus, as mentioned, with their QB locked in for at least the next two seasons, there’s no need to add another in the first round.
This means the Falcons can focus on taking another player that would better align with their needs. However, wouldn’t it be better if the Falcons had even more freedom to take the best overall player available instead of selecting a specific position?
Last year the Falcons ranked near the bottom of the league (21st), averaging 2.5 sacks per game. They haven’t added anyone to the front seven or anyone on defense that will fix their lack of a pass rush in 2024. Aside from changing head coaches, the Falcons, so far, are relying on improvement from within. But that may be a bad plan for a team with their eyes on the playoffs.
While the NFL Draft offers a great opportunity to land a future star, you can’t count on a rookie to make an immediate impact. But turning to proven players? That’s a different story.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Falcons could turn to the trade market to fill their need for another edge rusher instead, and they’re already being linked to Philadelphia’s Haason Reddick.
Reddick is known to be on the trade block after the Eagles brought Brandon Graham back, paid Josh Sweat, and signed Bryce Huff to a $51 million contract. Despite coming off back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons, the 29-year-old isn’t likely to command a top draft pick in return. A Day 2 selection should get it done.
While adding Reddick shouldn’t prevent the Falcons from selecting another pass-rusher at No. 8 overall, his presence would reduce the need to draft one right away. This would allow more flexibility should they receive a strong offer to trade down from eight. Otherwise, pairing both the pass-rushers together would be a great way to ensure the front seven takes a major step forward in 2024.
Raheem Morris went as far as to say that had the team gotten better quarterback play last year, he might not be in Atlanta. He’s right. His predecessor, Arthur Smith, took a ton of flack from the fan base, but most of the Falcons’ shortcomings stem from their signal callers.
The Falcons had a few paths they could take. Some prioritized winning immediately, while others were more long-term. The draft presented interesting prospects at the top, and free agency featured a couple of established veterans.
Raheem Morris built a quarterback-centric coaching staff, one that features Zac Robinson, who coached and played the position in the NFL, T.J. Yates, who played seven seasons as an NFL quarterback, Super Bowl champion Doug Williams’ son, D.J. Williams, along with offensive assistant K.J. Black. Senior offensive assistant Ken Zampese has coached quarterbacks in the league for decades.
The group had a deep dive of options, and eventually landed on Kirk Cousins, who signed a massive contract worth $180 million over four years shortly after news broke that Baker Mayfield, who was No. 2 on Atlanta’s veteran list behind Cousins, had re-signed with the Buccaneers.
Like I said though, there were a crop of intriguing prospects that could potentially fix the position for the next decade, not just a few years like Cousins. In fact, the Falcons inquired about a potential trade up the draft board but quickly moved off that avenue once the top three teams showed no interest in moving off their picks, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.
The Falcons had a slew of options on the table, including trading up, presumably, for one of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels. However, Kirk Cousins was always their top target, and the contract reflects that.
The Vikings were outmatched in every facet of the deal. Atlanta outbid Minnesota in guarantees, years, and average annual value. Some Falcons fans probably wish the club had gone in a different direction, but the reality is Chicago, Washington, and New England were never moving those picks.
The Falcons came into the offseason with one clear objective — fix the quarterback position.
From the top down, the organization was aligned. Arthur Blank, Terry Fontenot, and Raheem Morris went out and acquired the top signal caller on the market, agreeing to a four-year deal worth $180 million with Kirk Cousins. The Falcons got their guy.
However, it was far from the only hole the new coaching staff needed to fill. Fontenot worked quickly, inking Darnell Mooney to a three-year deal, filling the team’s second-most pressing need. Still, there’s more to do for Atlanta’s GM, specifically on the defensive side of the ball.
The Falcons have an underwhelming EDGE room. Arnold Ebiketie, DeAngelo Malone, and Lorenzo Carter might be the worst unit in the league. The cornerback group looks better because of A.J. Terrell, but that position could also use some bolstering.
Moreover, there are other housekeeping items. Kyle Pitts’ fifth-year option will be exercised at some point before the beginning of May. It’s not a question of if the Falcons pick up the 2021 first-round pick’s fifth-year option; it’s a question of when they do it.
Additionally, A.J. Terrel’s contract extension is looming. ESPN recently did a piece on the 2025 free agency, with Atlanta’s 2020 first-round pick among defensive players who are set to get paid.
I highly doubt Terry Fontenot lets Terrell even sniff free agency. It would be a grave mistake. He’s a pillar of this team at one of the most important positions in the game. The best thing teams can do in free agency is nothing because they spend all of their money retaining stars instead of acquiring them from other clubs. There’s no doubt that a deal will get done at some point, but what would it look like?