One Scout Explains How Ravens Free Agent Safeties Fit Jesse Minter's Defense

The Ravens secondary has the potential to be much improved this season.

New head coach Jesse Minter quickly fixed an ailing unit with the Chargers and ran a national title defense at Michigan and he landed one of the most well-regarded secondary coaches within NCAA football to join him in Baltimore.

And after general manager Eric DeCosta neglected adequately addressing the depth of the safety position in years past, Minter’s unit should benefit from two lower-tier free-agent signings. And in reality, the addition of Jaylinn Hawkins and K’Von Wallace will invariably help the productivity at corner as well, as their skill sets will carry some corner duties in sub packages.

Both signings (essentially one year $5M for Hawkins was an option to pay him another $5M in 2027 and basically a vet-minimum contract for Wallace) seemed like no-brainers at first blush, and after diving down on some scouting reports on them with other evaluators, and digging around to see how folks anticipate they fit best into Minter’s scheme, the signings seem even more sage and potentially impactful.

Hawkins As Hamilton Insurance

Kyle Hamilton has been in and out of games with some regularity, with stingers and upper neck issues popping up, and it’s not unusual for him to need some time on the sidelines before leaping back like nothing ever happened. But the Ravens have to be aware of what we’ve all seen and there are no real comps for Hamilton hanging around on the street, let alone among guys making $5M a year, but outside evaluators see Hawkins, 28, as a bit of insurance.

He also becomes another piece to potentially help in coverage in dime packages, an area the Ravens suffered greatly under previous coordinator Zach Orr.

“He’s kind of like Hamilton in a sense,” said one scout who went through his scouting department’s report on Hawkins. “He’s got the long arms, great wingspan differential, he’s got the size for the run game, and nickel is really becoming a Will linebacker for a zone team. This is lower-grade depth if Hamilton has to miss a few games, and he can help you in other ways, too.

“This is a dime linebacker in that scheme; his limitations will start to really show if he starts at nickel. Hamilton can cover the slot; you’re concerned about this guy in the slot in man. He’s got to be geared to more zone. Hamilton has the man-coverage skulls and this guy doesn’t but I can see why they signed him. It’s a sharp signing.”

This evaluator expects the Ravens to be leaning into smaller nickel options like rookie fifth-round pick Chandler Rivers to handle slot duties in man against traditional quick-twitch and smaller slot receivers. He rated Hawkins as having “mid-tier” overall coverage skills but likes his speed sufficiently to fill in at free safety if need be, too. He also is an asset on special teams.

“This is a quality signing for them,” he said. “He’s not an impact player, but he’s a good role play who can start for you in a pinch. He’s great for depth. He checks enough boxes athletically. Sufficient toughness. Good blitzer. Limit him to zone, keep him away from man.”

Hawkins set a career-best with four interceptions last season and tied a career-best with three tackles for loss and added five pressures (second-best of his career). He's been durable throughout his career and played 799 snaps a year ago and should be a significant upgrade over what Alohi Gilman provided last season (Minter knew Gilman from the Chargers before the midseason trade to Baltimore).

Wallace As Washington 2.0

Minter brings his own defense, for sure, but he cut his teeth in Baltimore and what he is running is pretty similar to what his friend and former colleague Mike MacDonald ran here. Ar’Darius Washington was a very useful and occasionally impactful third safety in those third-down packages for two years under MacDonald, with injuries being his major drawback.

Wallace (a legit 6-foot, 210 pounds) brings a similar skillset, only in a bigger package, and with similar medical drawbacks. But at this pricepoint this recent signing had a chance to provide significant value, with him throwing around a heftier frame than what Washington could offer (5-8, 180).

“He’s a football player,” the evaluator said of Wallace. “He can do what they asked Washington to do – this is kind of the same guy, just built bigger.”

Wallace, 28, has bounced around in large part due to injury, but worked with MacDonald in Seattle and brings familiarity with what Minter will ask of him. A serious ankle issue truncated his time with the Seahawks, but the scouting reports indicated solid performances when given an opportunity to see the field with the Titans.

“He’s a functional starting boundary safety and core special teams player,” he said. “I can’t disagree with this signing at all. He has good zone awareness and can plant drive quicky. Good instincts sideline to sideline. Good ball skills. Good toughness on run defense. Solid athlete.

“He can play free and strong, but he’s best as a boundary where he doesn’t have to cover as much ground. Good instincts and anticipation. This is a good football player. His problems are more about health than anything.”

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