Although Johnathan Hankins is only 26 and has been an NFL starter for the past four seasons, he’s without a team less than two weeks before most franchises’ 2018 seasons begin. But he’s confident he’ll find a home soon, and another suitor emerged recently.
It’s not certain when this visit occurred, but it was revealed during an interview with Brady Quinn and A.J. Hawk on Sirius XM Radio Hankins met with the Chargers this offseason. The former Giants and Colts interior defender added he’s had discussions with teams and is trying to determine the best landing spot.
“I believe I’ll be with a team pretty soon,” Hankins said during the interview. “I’ve just been really talking to teams and trying to figure out what would be the best fit. Just taking my time with things, and I feel like I’ll be with at team very soon, before the season gets started.”
The Colts released Hankins in mid-March. He since met with the Jets in April and worked out for the Browns earlier this month, but no deals materialized. The Chargers will play the first four games without Corey Liuget due to a suspension, and although they did add defensive tackle Justin Jones in the third round, Hankins would supply depth. He graded as a top-20 interior defender, per Pro Football Focus, last season and was productive with the Giants prior to initially hitting free agency.
It’s likely Hankins will have to settle for a one-year deal at a lower-than-expected rate, similar to the some of this year’s top free agent safeties who mysteriously languished unattached for months. But he remains one of the best available players heading into the season.
Would love him as depth on the Chargers
Pay the man. He would be the closest thing to Jamal Williams that we’ve had since Jamal Williams.