3 Chargers Free Agents Who Could Still Re-Sign With Los Angeles

2. Jaylinn Hawkins

The argument for Jaylinn Hawkins is pretty similar to that for Clapp. You probably don't want to be relying on Hawkins as your first choice of starter at safety. But he's made 25 starts across his first four NFL seasons, and while he's not good by starter standards, he is a decent depth piece.

Hawkins got the most run of his career in 2022 when he was a full-time starter, and PFF gave him a reasonable 64.9 run defense grade while he also limited opposing QBs to a 71.6 passer rating when he was targeted in coverage.

He was significantly worse in coverage in 2023, but his run defense graded out very well again, at 70.1.

Hopefully Derwin James stays healthy in 2024, but it can be really valuable to have a backup who at least excels in one area. If Hawkins needs to get on the field the defense can be schemed to play to his strenghts against the run while relying on him less in coverage. These adjustments are much harder to make for someone who is just similarly mediocre across all areas.