The addition of Xavier McKinney at safety for the Green Bay Packers is going to provide an upgrade in a variety of ways, with improved tackling being one of the more noticeable differences.
Over his four year NFL career, McKinney has a missed tackle rate of just 6.9 percent, according to PFF. For some context, anytime a player is under 10 percent, they are fairly sound and reliable in that regard.
In 2023 specifically, McKinney made 115 of his 122 tackle attempts, missing only 5.7 percent of his opportunities. That missed tackle rate was the lowest among 61 eligible safeties.
“I think it’s just how I prepare,” said McKinney of his tackling ability. “I practice hard. When you practice hard you usually play pretty hard. I critique myself a whole bunch. I get better at the small things. I try to perfect my craft. That’s always how I’ve been.
“Obviously, like I don’t go into it like I’m not trying to miss a certain amount of tackles. I just go out there and play and see where the ball lands. That’s kinda just how it is. I’m going to try to improve that number from what it was last year because I think even that six or seven (missed tackles) is too much for a safety. We’re going to get that number down for sure.”
Of course, tackling will always be important, but with how we anticipate Jeff Hafley utilizing the safety position within his defense, it will be at a premium. More Cover-1 looks from the Packers and more five or six-man pressures on third downs will leave McKinney on an island at times, where there will be instances where he will have to bring down the ball carrier on his own.
Where McKinney lines up each week is going to be opponent and game-plan dependent, so there will be times when we see him playing close to the line of scrimmage, playing a bigger role in the run game as well.
McKinney’s willingness to tackle will also benefit his teammates as he swarms to the ball carrier to help bring the player down.
“I want a guy who can erase things,” said defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley when describing what he wants at the safety position. “We gotta eliminate explosive plays when we play this defense, so 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.”
Missed tackles were an issue for the Packers last season both in the run game, which led to explosive plays, and in the passing game, resulting in yards after the catch opportunities for the offense.
Tackling has never been a strong suit of Darnell Savage’s, with a career missed tackle rate of 17.4 percent. Last season, Savage had the eighth-highest missed tackle rate among all safeties. Jonathan Owens would rank 22nd.
The safety position still remains a need that the Packers have to address even with the addition of McKinney. The only other safeties on the roster currently are Anthony Johnson Jr., along with Benny Sapp and Zayne Anderson–two primary special teams players.
As GM Brian Gutekunst looks to round at that position group and presumably do so through the draft, versatility will be an emphasis for him as he searches for McKinney’s potential running mate.