"Jaylinn Hawkins burst on the scene this season, finishing the season with 71 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 4 interceptions. He had a respectable 11.4% missed tackle rate and allowed a 65.5% completion rate during the regular season. Ranking so highly in these metrics, it shouldn't come as a surprise that PFF believes he could become one of the league's highest paid safeties."
"Considering the recent boost in the free-agent safety market from players like Jevon Holland, Cam Bynum and Talanoa Hufanga, the 28-year-old could get close to $20 million AAV on his new contract. He finished as their 5th-ranked safety overall, coming in 8th in coverage grade and 2nd in run defense grade."
"It would seem out of the ordinary that retaining a defensive starter and one of the league's better safeties from 2025 would hurt the team, but utilizing such a rich contract on Jaylinn Hawkins would stunt the team's growth. As things stand, the exclusive franchise tag value for safeties is just shy of $20.8 million."
The New England Patriots face decisions regarding six unrestricted free agents entering the 2026 offseason. K'Lavon Chaisson, with 10.5 sacks, is expected to earn up to $18 million annually, while other players like Austin Hooper and Vederian Lowe will likely receive more modest contracts. Jaylinn Hawkins emerged as a standout performer this season with 71 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 4 interceptions, ranking as PFF's 5th-ranked safety overall with strong coverage and run defense grades. Despite his excellent performance, using the franchise tag on Hawkins would be counterproductive, as the exclusive tag value for safeties approaches $20.8 million, significantly impacting the Patriots' limited cap space of approximately $38.6 million.
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