July 2, 2026, 1:48 p.m. ET<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Baltimore Ravens<\/a>\u00a0are gearing up for the 2026 NFL season, which features plenty of new and returning faces within the organization, including a complete overhaul of the coaching staff. Several players, coaches, and front-office members are crucial to the team\u2019s success this season.<\/p>\n Every day from now until the start of training camp, we\u2019re counting down our\u00a030 Most Important Ravens<\/a>\u00a0for the 2026 season. We\u2019ll recap their 2025 season, look ahead to 2026, and tackle the most significant question facing them this year.<\/p>\n Next up is veteran safety Jaylinn Hawkins. Hawkins gives the Ravens<\/a> veteran safety depth and a versatile third-safety option.<\/p>\n Background<\/p>\n Position: S<\/p>\n Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.<\/a><\/p>\n Age: 28<\/p>\n Experience: 7th NFL season<\/p>\n 2026 cap hit: $3.15 million<\/p>\n Jaylinn Hawkins lands at No. 27 on the Ravens\u2019 list of the 30 most important players for 2026 because Baltimore\u2019s secondary could be one of the deepest and most flexible groups in the NFL. The Ravens signed Hawkins to a two-year deal in March, adding a veteran safety with ball production, range, and the versatility to fit into Jesse Minter\u2019s defensive vision.<\/p>\n Hawkins is not expected to be the face of the defense. Kyle Hamilton already owns that role as one of the league\u2019s most unique defensive players, while rookie Malaki Starks gives Baltimore another high-end safety talent with coverage instincts and positional flexibility. Hawkins matters because he gives the Ravens a third safety who can play real snaps, handle deep-field responsibilities, and allow Hamilton to continue moving around the formation as a matchup weapon.<\/p>\n That makes Hawkins more important than a typical free-agent addition. Minter\u2019s defense should lean heavily on disguise, communication, and interchangeable defensive backs. Baltimore\u2019s official projected depth chart after free agency listed Hamilton, Starks, and Hawkins as starters, noting that the Ravens could continue using plenty of three-safety formations under Minter.<\/p>\n 2025 recap<\/p>\n Hawkins spent the 2025 season with the New England Patriots and produced one of the best years of his career. He finished the regular season with 45 solo tackles, four interceptions, six passes defended, and one forced fumble, giving Baltimore another defensive back with proven takeaway production.<\/p>\n That production explains why the Ravens moved quickly to add him. Hawkins showed he could play the ball, handle coverage responsibilities, and contribute to a defense that leaned on discipline and physicality. He also brought experience from previous stops with the Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers, and Patriots, giving Baltimore a veteran who has seen multiple defensive systems and roles.<\/p>\n For the Ravens, the takeaway production is especially important. Baltimore already has enough talent to force long drives. Hawkins gives the defense another player capable of ending possessions with the ball in his hands.<\/p>\n 2026 outlook<\/p>\n Hawkins enters 2026 with a clear role in one of the NFL\u2019s most intriguing secondaries. Hamilton will remain the movable chess piece. Starks should have a major role early as a first-round safety with range and instincts. Hawkins gives Minter and defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver a veteran option who can align deep, rotate post-snap, and keep Baltimore from becoming predictable.<\/p>\n His value will be tied to how often the Ravens use three-safety looks. If Baltimore plays Hamilton near the line of scrimmage, over the slot, or in hybrid linebacker roles, Hawkins\u2019 ability to handle traditional safety duties becomes critical. He can help keep the defense organized while allowing the more dynamic pieces to create pressure, disguise coverage, and attack matchups.<\/p>\n Hawkins also gives Baltimore insurance. Injuries are inevitable in the secondary, and the Ravens play in a conference filled with quarterbacks who can punish communication mistakes. A veteran safety with ball skills can help stabilize the back end, protect against explosive plays, and give the defense more answers in sub-packages.<\/p>\n Biggest question<\/p>\n Can Jaylinn Hawkins turn his 2025 production into a consistent role in Baltimore\u2019s defense?<\/p>\n That is the biggest question entering training camp. Hawkins is joining a secondary with elite talent, but he has a real path to meaningful snaps if he proves he can communicate, tackle reliably, and keep producing takeaways. The Ravens do not need him to be Hamilton or Starks. They need him to be steady, smart, and opportunistic.<\/p>\n If Hawkins wins trust early, Baltimore\u2019s defensive ceiling rises. His presence would allow Minter to keep using Hamilton creatively, bring Starks along without overloading him, and build one of the NFL\u2019s most versatile safety groups. For a Ravens team built to rebound defensively and return to the postseason, Hawkins\u2019 role could become quietly important.<\/p>\n 30 Most Important\u00a0Ravens<\/a>\u00a0of 2026<\/p>\n We\u2019re counting down our 30 Most Important\u00a0Ravens<\/a>\u00a0of 2026. Check back every day leading up to the start of training camp.<\/p>\n No. 30 Tyler Huntley<\/a>, No. 29 Ryan Eckley<\/a>, No. 27 Tyler Loop<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"July 2, 2026, 1:48 p.m. ET The\u00a0Baltimore Ravens\u00a0are gearing up for the 2026 NFL season, which features plenty…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":935358,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2052],"tags":[95878,184,117,2282,7,6,169,119281,96963,96964,95882,95898,102591,95896,95888,95895,95906,95883,95881],"class_list":["post-935357","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-baltimore-ravens","tag-accessfree","tag-baltimore","tag-baltimore-ravens","tag-baltimoreravens","tag-football","tag-nfl","tag-ravens","tag-sourceravens-wire","tag-sstssportsnflravens","tag-sstsnravens","tag-tagamerican-football","tag-tagbaltimore-ravens","tag-tagjaylinn-hawkins","tag-tagnational-sports","tag-tagnfl","tag-tagnfl-hub","tag-tagoverall-positive","tag-tagsports-news","tag-typestory"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116854900901847675","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/935357","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=935357"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/935357\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/935358"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=935357"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=935357"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=935357"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}