If Jaylinn Hawkins leaves the New England Patriots this offseason, it seemingly won’t be to get away from Mike Vrabel.
Hawkins is set to enter free agency once the new NFL year begins on March 11. The safety bolstered his market value by registering four interceptions and a forced fumble on last season’s one-year deal.
As he prepares to test the open market, Hawkins commended Vrabel during a Friday appearance on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football.”
“Just from the energy standpoint, from who he is, he’s a standup guy,” Hawkins said of Vrabel. “He keeps it real with you, but then he’s also like, ‘Let’s go out there and have some fun. Let’s ball.'”
Hawkins endorsed Vrabel’s passion when explaining why he liked playing for the head coach last season.
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“He believes in us, man. So it’s cool,” Hawkins added. “He really cares about us. That’s the biggest thing. Being out there in practice, he’s participating in drills. He’s out there with the bags, trying to run us over. Then he’s also loud, and he’ll get on you. It’s nothing but respect and love for him.”
Patriots fans must wait to see if Hawkins keeps playing for Vrabel in 2026. The 28-year-old is among the team’s most significant free agents, but executive vice president Eliot Wolf indicated earlier this week, per Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald, that they’re not planning to ensure he stays by extending the franchise tag.
“He’s earned the opportunity to see what’s out there,” Wolf said on Tuesday. “But he’s certainly someone that we would welcome back.”
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Featured image via Usa Today
