Tag: Xavier McKinney

Xavier McKinney impressed with Packers’ talent level in secondary

McKinney thinks the talent level in the Packers secondary is through the roof.

Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney has impressed just about everyone in the organization as a player and leader in the two months since signing as a free agent, but he’s also been impressed with the collection of players around him in the defensive secondary.

Asked who has stood out to him so far in the offseason workout program, McKinney said “all of them.”

“I’d like to say this is the best group I’ve been a part of since I’ve been in the league, and that’s from me to the whoever the last person is, doesn’t matter. Everyone has done a great job,” McKinney said Tuesday. “I think the talent level in our room is out of this roof. It’s going to be fun to play with these guys because everyone is smart. We’re all working off each other and build off each other and compete with each other to make each other better.”

McKinney is the key piece of the rebuild at safety, but the Packers also added three draft picks — second-rounder Javon Bullard, fourth-rounder Evan Williams and fifth-round Kitan Oladapo — and returned six cornerbacks or safeties who have started games for the team in the past two seasons.

McKinney and cornerback Jaire Alexander are difference-makers. Eric Stokes is a former first-round pick. Keisean Nixon was the team’s go-to starter in the slot. Carrington Valentine and Anthony Johnson Jr., two seventh-round picks from last year, return after starting games in 2023. Corey Ballentine is back after flashing in a starting role last season. Bullard can play safety or slot. Williams and Oladapo are interchangeable. Even seventh-round pick Kalen King has a chance to make the roster and contribute at corner.

McKinney said the young players, especially at safety, are constantly picking his brain.

“They’ve been picking my brain a lot. It’s been good though. I’ve been letting them know small things they haven’t seen before,” McKinney said.

Hear more from McKinney below:

How the Packers’ three new safeties will change their defense radically for the better

With Xavier McKinney, Javon Bullard, and Kitan Oladapo on board, the Packers’ safety group will change the defense for the better… radically.

While NFL teams like the Lions and Eagles chose to overhaul their cornerbacks this offseason, the Packers went safety first under new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. First, there was the signing of former Giants star Xavier McKinney to a four-year, $67 million contract with $23 million guaranteed. Then in the draft, the Packers got Georgia’s Javon Bullard with the 58th overall pick in the second round. Then, the addition of Oregon State’s Kitan Oladapo with the 169th pick in the fifth round.

Packers nab former Giants DB Xavier McKinney to be the face of their pass defense

Necessary changes for a defense that ranked 27th in 2023, and 25th the year before, under Joe Barry. Moreover, all three players are fairly interchangeable in the defense. This is especially true of Bullard, who transitioned from a slot/box defender in 2022 to a free safety in 2023, and did it all without a hitch. Last season, Bullard allowed 14 catches on 26 targets for 119 yards, 68 yards after the catch, no touchdowns, two interceptions, five pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of

“I think probably his ability to maybe play more nickel than some of those guys,” assistant director of college scouting Patrick Moore said of Bullard’s attributes. “We felt like him at the second level, playing that slot and playing a little bit more nickel, with the ability to play safety as well was probably a strength. Just really we have a good feel for him and who he is and what he’s going to bring to our defense intangible-wise, too. That’s just where we had him stacked.”

“As far as my role, man, just being — really doing whatever the team needed me to do, man,” Bullard told reporters after he was drafted. “It was some cases where as far as my sophomore year at nickel, there were some cases where I was more involved in the run game and more involved in blitz packages and things like that and also more involved in man to man coverage, being able to cover slot receivers and things like that. As far as safety, we lost a great player in Chris Smith to the NFL, as well, so like I said, just being that versatile Swiss Army knife that the team needs, whatever they ask me to do, I will definitely do that and I try to do it at a high level.”

Bullard has already proven all of that.

Oladapo’s responsibilities didn’t change much over his last three seasons at Oregon State — he was about equally in the box, the slot, and the deep third. Last season, he gave up 21 completions on 36 targets for 212 yards, 58 yards after the catch, one touchdown, two interceptions, seven pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 61.3.

“He’s a little different body type than the other two [McKinney and Bullard], said Jon-Eric Sullivan, vice president of player personnel, of Oladapo. “He’s a big, 6-2, 216-pound kid. Long arms. Aggressive — when he hits you, you go down. He’s a very good athlete at that size. He can pedal, he can flip, he can turn. He’s versatile, more of a true safety but he can play that big nickel or will linebacker if you need him too. The playstyle. Very smart. Captain as well. One, good football player, and two, the kind of person we want to infuse in this locker room.”

Hafley has already said that he wants his cornerbacks to play more aggressively than they did under Barry, which is a pretty low bar. One thing we know for sure is that Hafley’s safeties will be athletic, smart, versatile, and deployed in all kinds of places opponents may not expect.

Before stepping on field, Packers’ Xavier McKinney makes his mark off of it

Before new Packers’ safety Xavier McKinney has played a down on the field, he is already making his mark on this defense off the field.

We’ve all seen what Xavier McKinney can bring to a defense on the football field, but in early May, the Green Bay Packers are also benefitting from what he brings to the team off the field.

“It’s been so nice to have X,” said defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley on Monday. “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.”

In just a matter of months, the Packers have rebuilt their safety position. Beyond signing McKinney in free agency, the team drafted Javon Bullard, Evan Williams, and Kitan Oladapo, who will join second-year players Anthony Johnson Jr and Benny Sapp III.

In addition to providing much-needed stability to the back end of the Packers’ defense as McKinney will fill the all-important do-it-all role at safety within Hafley’s defense, he is also going to be an integral part in the development of the young players that he shares the meeting room and field with.

“The coolest part about him is,” added Hafley, “and I told him this the other day, you don’t find out about somebody and who they are and how hard they work until they get here. That’s been the thing that’s probably made us the happiest.”

When Hafley first arrived in Green Bay and had his introductory press conference, he detailed what his version of the perfect safety would look like, which all very much sounds like what McKinney will add to this defense.

In short, a few of those traits that Hafley mentioned were the need to eliminate big plays. Well, McKinney allowed just 8.7 yards per catch in 2023, ranking seventh among safeties in that category.

Hafley wants someone who plays with his hair on fire in the run game. McKinney ranked sixth in run defense tackles last season.

Being a reliable tackler was another factor that Hafley brought up and McKinney is coming off a season in which he missed only seven of his 122 attempts. His missed tackle rate of 5.7 percent was the lowest among his positions group.

Lastly, Hafely discussed the need for high ball production. Over McKinney’s four NFL seasons, he has had nine interceptions and forced seven pass breakups over the previous two years.

Not only with a nearly entirely different safety room from a personnel standpoint but what this position is asked to do in Hafley’s defense is going to look much different.

GM Brian Gutekunst has stressed all offseason the importance of the two safety spots and the nickel cornerback being interchangeable. This will expand the playbook for Hafley in terms of what he can dial up from a game-planning perspective, and it will also add some unpredictability to the defense, keeping offenses guessing.

Given the makeup of this position group, the Packers are going to have to rely heavily on their rookies, and with that will likey be some ups and downs. However, having a player and person of McKinney’s caliber will help with the transition, and his impact will go well beyond just the safety position.

“Great pro, great attitude, great effort,” Hafley said. “He’s done a great job so far, so really excited to have him here, continue to have him grow in the scheme and really understand the scheme. I think 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.”

Tyler Nubin promises no more yachts after learning Giants’ ugly history

After posing for a picture on a yacht during the NFL draft, Tyler Nubin learned of the Giants’ ugly history and promised never again.

The New York Giants came into the 2024 NFL draft seeking a new leader for their secondary and believe they may have found it in Minnesota’s Tyler Nubin, who they selected in the second round.

General manager Joe Schoen called Nubin “a guy with high character, leadership, smart, tough, dependable, and then the 13 career interceptions.”

“Just a good football player,” Schoen added after selecting Nubin 47th overall. “Culture changer at the University of Minnesota and he’s going to bring that type of mentality here, and I think that will come out tomorrow when you guys meet with him and spend some time with him. Just a really special kid that’s a good football player.”

Nubin is prepared to take over as a leader in the Giants’ secondary, a unit that needs one after losing Xavier McKinney in free agency this past offseason.

He wanted to make it clear he was ready for the role by clarifying a few things that arose during the draft, such as a photo of him posing on a yacht with some colleagues, which appeared to be modeled after the Giants’ receivers’ infamous ’bout trip’ photo in 2017.

After learning of the team’s history, Nubin wanted Giants fans to know this isn’t who he really is and understand the superstitious concern. He won’t be making the same mistake twice.

Nubin is also aware of the controversy caused by his predecessor, McKinney, who was shelved for half a season with a hand injury sustained in an off-field ATV accident.

All good, for now.

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S Xavier McKinney provides major upgrade as a tackler to Packers defense

Xavier McKinney will be an upgrade at safety for the Packers in a variety of ways but one of the more noticeable aspects may be seen in his tackling.

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.

PODCAST: Which path should Giants take in 2024 NFL draft?

This week on the Giants Wire Podcast, we look ahead to the 2024 NFL draft and offer our opinion while also breaking down free agency.

This week on the Giants Wire Podcast, we discuss the 2024 NFL draft and what the New York Giants might do in Round 1.

Will general manager Joe Schoen trade up? How about down? Will he stand pat and take a top-end wide receiver or hope a potential quarterback falls to him? We weigh those options and offer our take.

We also discuss the free-agent losses of running back Saquon Barkley and safety Xavier McKinney. Which was worse? And can Devin Singletary replace Barkley’s production?

Additionally, we evaluate the addition of edge rusher Brian Burns and break down what it means for the defense — specifically nose tackle Dexter Lawrence and linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux.

Those topics (and more) are discussed in the latest episode of the Giants Wire Podcast, which is hosted by Ryan O’Leary (@RyanO_Leary on X) and joined by site editor Dan Benton (@TheGiantsWire).

The Giants Wire Podcast will air every week during the regular season and occasionally throughout the offseason. You can listen below:

Follow the Giants Wire Podcast:
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Don’t forget to use our playlist to enhance your listening experience:

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Do the Giants have a glaring issue in the secondary?

Bill Barnwell believes the New York Giants have glaring and concerning issues in the secondary, especially at safety.

The New York Giants still have some holes to fill on their roster but none may be more glaring than in the secondary.

This offseason, they lost their most reliable player — safety Xavier McKinney — to the Green Bay Packers in free agency. It was the second year in a row they let a solid safety walk. Last spring, Julian Love signed on with the Seattle Seahawks.

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell believes the Giants, while they may have made some splashes in other areas, are now devoid of top talent in their secondary.

The Giants wanted to trade for edge rusher Brian Burns and pay him more than $28 million per year, which means they have to make cutbacks somewhere. For general manager Joe Schoen, those cutbacks appear to be in the secondary. New York let its two most prominent defensive backs hit the open market. McKinney immediately signed a four-year, $68 million deal with the Packers, becoming one of the few safeties in a loaded market to get paid. (Cornerback Adoree’) Jackson remains unsigned.

The Giants signed veteran safety Jalen Mills in free agency and fans are hoping they are not done adding. Mills will be joined by Jason Pinnock at safety, a duo Barnwell says is “arguably the weakest pair of starting safeties on paper.”

At cornerback, last year’s first-round pick, Deonte Banks will be one starter while Jackson’s role is up for grabs. Right now, the Giants will choose from a group that includes Tre Hawkins III and Nick McCloud. Ouch.

Barnwell points out there are still many defensive backs still on the market, including Adoree’ Jackson, and the Giants can still bolster the group with a signing or two.

“I would be surprised if they didn’t take advantage of the market and add at least one veteran safety,” writes Barnwell. “Justin Simmons, Quandre Diggs, Marcus Maye, Tashaun Gipson and Julian Blackmon are all free agents. . . Adding one of those guys on a one-year deal would bring a veteran into the defensive backs room and help a team that is otherwise set to run out a young secondary.”

Big Blue also has six selections in the 2024 NFL draft and will most likely use a pick or two on the secondary.

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Here’s what Xavier McKinney will look like in his new No. 29 Packers uniform

A mockup of what Xavier McKinney will look like in his new No. 29 Packers uniform.

Safety Xavier McKinney, who left the New York Giants to sign a four-year deal with the Green Bay Packers in free agency, is keeping his No. 29 uniform with new team. McKinney wore the No. 15 at Alabama, but 15 is retired in Green Bay for Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr. McKinney wore No. 29 during all four of his seasons in New York and will continue wearing the number in Green Bay.

Here’s a mockup of what McKinney will look like in his No. 29 Packers uniform:

McKinney was a second-round pick of the Giants in the 2020 draft. Over 49 career games, McKinney produced nine interceptions, 27 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 1.5 sacks and 279 tackles (six for loss). He joins the Packers after being graded as the No. 4 overall safety in the NFL last season. Based on fit and his tape, McKinney looks like the ideal post safety for new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley in Green Bay.

Xavier McKinney checked all the boxes for Packers as a ‘unique’ free agent opportunity

Young difference makers rarely get to free agency in the NFL. When Xavier McKinney got to the open market, the Packers pounced.

Top players under the age of 25 so rarely become available in the NFL, so when the New York Giants let ascending safety Xavier McKinney hit the open market in free agency, Brian Gutekunst and the Green Bay Packers pounced.

McKinney, 24, signed a four-year deal worth up to $68 million to go from the Giants to the safety-needy Packers earlier this month.

“I think he’s a unique player to come available,” Gutekunst said Monday from the league meetings. “He’s 24 years old, one of the top safeties in the game, a guy that can be a game-changing type player. He really fits the criteria we’re looking for in a free agent, not only as a player but as a leader back there. Extensively scouted him through college and liked him quite a bit coming out, and he’s done nothing in his time in the NFL to change that. Again, not a lot of these guys come available, so when they do, it’s important for us to go down that road and see if we can acquire them.”

Gutekunst said players with McKinney’s profile are usually only available via trade. Entering free agency, the team’s list of targets dwindled quickly with re-signings and the franchise tag, but the Giants let McKinney test the waters without restriction, opening the door for the Packers to make a big move.

“There were very few guys that fit the criteria he did that come available,” Gutekunst said. “We’re just really excited. His next three years should be the best football he plays in our mind and we’re excited about that.”

At Pro Football Focus, McKinney graded out as the No. 4 overall safety in 2023, trailing only Antoine Winfield Jr., Jessie Bates III and Jevon Holland. He earned the best overall coverage grade and second-best tackling grade while producing 26 stops, three interceptions and allowing zero touchdown passes across over 1,100 total snaps.

McKinney played all over the formation for Wink Martindale, with almost 500 snaps at free safety, a little under 400 in the box and over 150 in the slot.

A second-round pick in 2020, McKinney doesn’t turn 25 years old until August.

He is talented, ascending as a player and entering his football prime. McKinney was also a team captain for the Giants.

In desperate need of a safety to fit Jeff Hafley’s new defense, the Packers aggressively chased a unique opportunity and, as a result, landed one of the top free agents available.

Packers get mixed reviews for top free agent signings

One ESPN expert loved the Packers signing Xavier McKinney. Another couldn’t understand why the Packers swapped out Aaron Jones for Josh Jacobs.

The Green Bay Packers received mixed reviews in ESPN’s free agency breakdown from the site’s NFL experts.

General manager Brian Gutekunst made two of the biggest splashes, signing safety Xavier McKinney on a four-year, $68 million deal and running back Josh Jacobs on a four-year, $48 million deal.

One ESPN expert loved the Packers’ signing of McKinney. Another didn’t understand why the Packers swapped out Aaron Jones in favor of Jacobs.

From former NFL safety Matt Bowen picked McKinney as the best overall signing of the free agency period.

From Bowen: “As a safety with multidimensional traits, McKinney tracks the ball well and has the coverage skills to match in the slot. That’s a fit for a Green Bay defense that will be much more aggressive with its coverage and pressure tendencies under new coordinator Jeff Hafley. McKinney, 25, has nine interceptions and 14 pass breakups in his four pro seasons.”

No disagreements here. We think McKinney is a perfect fit as Jeff Hafley’s “post” safety. A detailed film breakdown of McKinney’s game can be found here.

While the Packers might have signed one of the top defensive players available at a major position of need, a decision on offense didn’t get the same glowing reviews.

Stephania Bell, ESPN’s fantasy football analyst, was critical of the Packers making a big change at running back, picking Jacobs to the Packers as her biggest head-scratching move.

From Bell: “It’s true, last season was an off year for Aaron Jones. He suffered a hamstring injury in Week 1, and it limited his availability throughout the season. But the oft-repeated mantra was that Jones was the heart of the team, a critical presence in the locker room and the key to its run game. The argument against Jones is he’s an aging running back who was going to cost too much to re-sign. Yet the Packers brought in a back on a more expensive multiyear deal (four years, $48 million) who has fewer years of play in the league but has accrued mileage at a faster rate. This is not about Jacobs’ undeniable talent, it’s about the rationale.”

Jacobs is three years younger and just one year removed from an NFL rushing title, but he actually has more career regular season touches than Jones and is also coming off a season ended by injury. The Packers, who asked Jones to take a big pay cut before releasing him, are banking on Jacobs bouncing back in a better environment in Green Bay in 2024. It’s a risk, given how important Jones was on the field and in the locker room for the Packers. But Jacobs is also a difference maker at running back when healthy, and he was a captain for the Raiders.

There are good reasons to be extremely excited about McKinney in Hafley’s defense and good reasons to be worried about losing Jones from Matt LaFleur’s offense, but no one ever truly knows how free agent decisions will play out. McKinney could get hurt or not make enough impact plays as a $17 million per year player. Jacobs could return to his 2022 form and dominate while Jones flounders in a different situation in Minnesota. A trendy Super Bowl contender entering 2024, the Packers are hoping their big free agent splashes pay off right away.