The Falcons made a somewhat surprising roster move yesterday, releasing former 2020 fourth-round pick Jaylinn Hawkins.
Today, he was claimed by the Chargers.
Hawkins was expected to be the team’s primary backup safety behind Richie Grant and Jessie Bates III, utilized in big nickel packages. However, he never seemed to find a way onto the field on defense, with his most snaps coming in Week 3 (11).
Still, moving on from a player who had plenty of experience starting, especially when there is not a lot of depth at the position, is somewhat surprising. It seems the Falcons defensive staff is confident in 2023 seventh-round selection DeMarcco Hellams, who has seen an uptick in his usage in recent weeks. They’ve also elevated another safety in Micah Abernathy to the active roster from the practice squad.
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