During his introductory press conference in February, Jeff Hafley was questioned about his expectations for the post safety position responsible for covering centerfield in his defensive scheme.
The new Packers’ defensive coordinator responded in a manner consistent with his background rooted in the secondary, stating, “I want a guy who can erase things. If a run hits up the middle, this guy’s gotta come out of the middle field with his hair on fire; he’s gotta be able to get a guy down. I also want him to be a guy, when a ball carrier is wrapped up, he goes, and he finishes off the pile. I want a guy who can go from sideline to sideline and take the ball away.”
Twenty-one days later, the Packers secured Xavier McKinney to fill that role.
The 24-year-old safety was widely regarded as the premier free agent at his position after an impressive four-year tenure with the New York Giants, during which McKinney amassed 277 tackles (179 solo), 27 passes defensed, nine interceptions (including one for a touchdown), and two forced fumbles in 49 regular-season games with 46 starts.
McKinney’s performance and potential led the Packers to question whether the 6-foot, 201-pound safety would even reach free agency. Despite this, Green Bay conducted thorough research due to a clear need at the position following a challenging 2023 season, during which Week 1 starters Darnell Savage and Rudy Ford missed a combined 11 regular-season games.
With the Giants opting not to place the franchise tag on McKinney last month, Green Bay General Manager Brian Gutekunst was ready to seize the opportunity to acquire the fifth-year veteran.
“I just think he’s a unique player to become available,” remarked Gutekunst at last week’s NFL Annual Meeting in Orlando. “One of the top safeties in the game, a guy who can be a game-changing type player. He really fits a little bit of the criteria we’re looking for in a free agent – not only as a player but as a leader back there. Obviously, extensively scouted him through college and liked him quite a bit coming out. He’s done nothing in his time in the NFL to change that.”
McKinney is expected to play a central role in Hafley’s defensive strategy, which employs a 4-3 base alignment and emphasizes a single-high post safety overseeing the backend. Leading up to the 2020 NFL Draft, McKinney was often seen as a good fit for a Cover-1 scheme due to his speed, range, and astute football intelligence.
His on-field performance has validated these assessments. As a two-time team captain for the Giants, McKinney drew attention during his second NFL season when he tied for fourth in the league with five interceptions. Despite missing eight games in 2022 due to a broken hand, McKinney bounced back to play all 1,128 defensive snaps last season.
Two particular plays stood out to Head Coach Matt LaFleur as exemplary displays of McKinney’s playmaking ability – his consecutive interceptions in the final game of last season against the Philadelphia Eagles. The first interception was a remarkable toe-dragging catch near the sideline, initially missed by officials but overturned upon review.
“I love just his ability to make plays on the ball,” LaFleur commented. “You’ve seen it over the course of his career.
“In that Philly game … he makes an unbelievable interception on the sideline, and then the very next play they try to run a screen and he dissects the screen and jumps in front and picks off the ball. Like back-to-back plays with two interceptions – anytime you have a guy who can take the ball away, that just is what you’re looking for in all your players.”
Now that McKinney is part of the team, the Packers need to determine their approach to the other safety position. Anthony Johnson Jr., a former 2023 seventh-round pick, stands as a potential candidate after showing promise with 23 tackles, three passes defensed, and an interception in 12 games, including four spot starts, as a rookie.
There are several veteran options still on the market, such as former All-Pros Justin Simmons and Micah Hyde. Gutekunst may also consider replicating the swift rebuild he executed in 2019, drafting Savage in the first round and signing Adrian Amos as an unrestricted free agent.
“We’d always prefer to have a young guy that’s going to have his best football ahead of him (but) we’ll look at all options as we go forward,” Gutekunst remarked. “Certainly, we’ll have the draft coming up, which will be important. We’ve had some success finding guys after the draft in the free-agent market that have fit us very well.”
Owens serves as a prime example of a veteran acquisition during the later stages of free agency. Signed on May 12, 2023, the 5-foot-11 safety ended up starting 11 out of his 17 regular-season appearances and emerged as the Packers’ fourth-leading tackler with 74 tackles.
Regardless of the path the Packers choose in the coming weeks, both LaFleur and Hafley view McKinney as a pivotal figure in propelling the defense forward in 2024 and beyond.
“Before his arrival, there were certainly some gaps at the safety position in terms of having a proven player,” LaFleur remarked. “While we have some promising young talent, having a veteran presence that has demonstrated the ability to perform at a high level is invaluable.
“I believe he’s one of the premier safeties in the league, as evidenced by his contract. His knack for generating turnovers cannot be overstated.”
