NFL minds disagree about Xavier McKinney's potential for the Packers
Getting safety Xavier McKinney in free agency was the biggest move made by general manager Brian Gutekunst this offseason to reinforce the Green Bay Packers’ roster in 2024. The former New York Giants safety is young, at 24, and has shown high-level potential and versatility. On an ESPN list talking to executives, coaches, and evaluators […]
Getting safety Xavier McKinney in free agency was the biggest move made by general manager Brian Gutekunst this offseason to reinforce the Green Bay Packers’ roster in 2024. The former New York Giants safety is young, at 24, and has shown high-level potential and versatility.
On an ESPN list talking to executives, coaches, and evaluators around the league, he was named the 10th best safety in the entire NFL.
"Versatile safety that provides scheme flexibility because of his physical attributes and athletic profile," an NFC personnel evaluator told ESPN. "I think he's grown over the past year in terms of his man coverage, blitz and disguise ability. He showed more this past season that he can be strategically moved around the backfield and deployed in multiple ways."
But that doesn’t mean it was a unanimously approved decision. The Packers will pay him $17 million per season, which is above most of his pre-free agency market projections. McKinney had a career season in 2023, which might be just a linear growth or effectively an outlier moment.
“He doesn’t scare you,” an NFL coordinator said, mentioning that he is good all-around, but lacks special tools.
Packers’ perspective
Green Bay revamped their safety room, allowing Darnell Savage, Jonathan Owens, and Rudy Ford walk in free agency. They signed McKinney and drafted Javon Bullard, Evan Williams, and Kitan Oladapo. Inside the building, the expectation is that McKinney’s consolidated and versatile play can help the entire secondary develop.
“It’s been so nice to have X. What a pro. How hard he works, the communication, the way he is in the meeting rooms, the way he looks out for the younger guys, that’s the stuff you don’t see,” new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley mentioned. “Really excited to have him here, continue to have him grow in the scheme and really understand the scheme. It’s our job to put him in position to make a lot of things happen. It’s been fun to see everything that he can do and how quickly he can learn. I’m really glad we have him.”
Right after the Packers signed McKinney back in March, general manager Brian Gutekunst explained his thought process, and how meaningful it was for Green Bay to get a deal done — especially because this caliber of player usually doesn’t hit free agency.
“I just think he's a unique player to come available,” Gutekunst said. “He’s 24 years old, one of the top safeties in the game, a guy that can be a game-changing type player. And he really kind of fits a little bit of a criteria we're looking for in a free agent, not only as a player, but as a leader back there.”
Even if McKinney isn’t perfect, the fact that he was named amongst the ten best at his position in the league suggests a big improvement for the Packers after two tough seasons in terms of safety play.
The Packers made a franchise-altering move this offseason
Xavier McKinney signed a four-year deal with the Packers
