Short-lived Patriots wide receiver Andrew Hawkins announced his retirement on Tuesday, one day before all New England veterans were scheduled to report for training camp in Foxborough.
Hawkins, a veteran of six previous NFL seasons split between the Browns and Bengals, signed with the Patriots as a free agent on May 25. The 5-7, 180-pounder was expected to add potential depth to the wide receiver depth chart, though he was far from a lock to even earn a roster spot with the defending champs.
The 31-year-old – whose brother, Artrell, played safety for the Patriots from 2005-06 – caught 33 passes in 16 games last fall in Cleveland. Over his six NFL seasons, Hawkins hauled in 209 passes for 2,419 yards with nine touchdowns. His best year came in Cleveland in 2014 with 63 receptions for 824 yards and two touchdowns in 15 games.
It took Hawkins a few years to break into the league after his college career at Toledo, which came to an end in 2007. He played with the Montreal Alouettes in the CFL from 2009-10 before catching on with the Bengals in 2011.
In his video through the Uninterrupted announcing his retirement, Hawkins said his "body just didn't respond the way it should" getting ready for camp this summer.
