The Baltimore Ravens have been the talk of the NFL offseason over the last 24 hours. After agreeing to acquire Maxx Crosby in a blockbuster trade with the Las Vegas Raiders, the Ravens decided to back out of the deal.
Quickly after backing out of the Crosby trade, Baltimore pivoted to signing star free agent pass rusher Trey Hendrickson.
While the drama is still unfolding regarding the Crosby situation, the Ravens have made another move to shore up their defense in free agency. This time, they have signed a sleeper safety from the defending AFC champion New England Patriots.
According to a report from ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler, Baltimore has agreed to terms on a two-year, $10 million deal with safety Jaylinn Hawkins.
“Safety Jaylinn Hawkins plans to sign with the Ravens for two years and $10M,” Fowler wrote on X. “Kevin Byard in in New England, Hawkins out – and onto Baltimore.”
What Does Jaylinn Hawkins Brings to the Ravens’ Defense?
Hawkins is a quality safety who should find a way to make an impact right away for the Ravens. He is coming off of a good season with the Patriots.
Throughout the course of the 2025 campaign in New England, the 28-year-old safety played in 15 games. He racked up 71 total tackles to go along with 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, four interceptions, and six defended passes.
He had by far his best NFL season last year.
Baltimore shouldn’t and isn’t expecting to be landing a star with this move. Rather, Hawkins will provide excellent depth and could be a quality starter if he wins the job.
Being able to land a player coming off of that kind of season for just $5 million per year is a great deal. At the very least, the Ravens have added a role player who can perform when called upon for the next two seasons.
Making Sense of Baltimore’s Trey Hendrickson, Maxx Crosby Situation
Crosby is coming off of a knee injury and is not fully healthy at this point in time. Baltimore seemingly had some long-term concerns about Crosby’s health.
Whether or not that is true remains the big question throughout the NFL. Some believe that the Ravens simply decided that signing Hendrickson and keeping their two first-round picks would be a wiser move.
At the end of the day, Baltimore did not break any rules by backing out of the trade. The Ravens had every right to change their mind before the trade became official. However, the move was frowned upon by most of the league.
Hendrickson will bring elite pass rushing to the field for the Ravens. He recorded 17.5 sacks in both 2023 and 2024 before only playing in seven games with the Cincinnati Bengals last year.
Add in the fact that Baltimore will keep its two first-round picks and there is no questions the Ravens are coming out on top, while also receiving major backlash.
Ravens Make Sleeper $10M Defensive Move in NFL Free Agency