Xavier McKinney, the team’s largest free agent acquisition, has the support of one league executive, despite the Green Bay Packers’ unusually active free agency campaign.
The Athletic’s Mike Sando conducted candid interviews with NFL executives to gather their thoughts on free agency for each of the 32 teams. Regarding the Packers, at least one executive had some criticism of the team for paying McKinney.
The executive remarked, “I liked Xavier McKinney, but I wasn’t a huge fan because of his lack of speed.”
Before the 2020 NFL Draft, McKinney ran the 40-yard sprint in 4.63 seconds, placing him in barely the 26th percentile for safety. Even while he was still able to perform well while with the New York Giants, at least one NFL executive appears to be concerned about his below-average speed.
The Road of Xavier McKinney to Green Bay
McKinney has fulfilled all the requirements at every stage of his football career, despite doubts about his speed.
McKinney was a four-star recruit fresh out of Georgia’s high school. Despite receiving offers from prestigious universities like Georgia and Ohio State, he chose to play for Nick Saban at Alabama.
After playing for the Crimson Tide for three seasons, he won a national championship as a freshman and was named to the first team of the SEC in his junior year. In the 2020 NFL Draft, he was selected by the Giants with the 36th overall pick thanks to his steady contributions to Alabama’s defense.
In the NFL, McKinney has experienced great success. He has amassed 279 tackles, 27 pass breakups, nine interceptions, and two forced fumbles in just four seasons. According to Pro Football Focus, McKinney will be playing football in 2023 and will have the fourth-best grade out of all eligible safeties.
The Packers were hoping that, aged 24, McKinney would be playing some of his best football. As free agency got underway, general manager Brian Gutekunst awarded him a four-year, $67 million contract.
With that kind of deal, the Packers are hoping McKinney can become a star in the secondary.
Packers’ Draft Requirements
The Packers may now focus on the 2024 NFL Draft as free agency is coming to an end.
The Packers signed McKinney, but safety is still a necessity. The only other safety on the roster who has seen significant playing time is Anthony Johnson Jr., who was a Day 3 rookie the previous year.
This year’s draft will place a lot of focus on offensive line depth. The Packers are down one injury away from having Royce Newman back on the field, and Jon Runyan Jr. and David Bakhtiari have left the team. The Packers might select several linemen in the draft to provide much-needed depth.
It’s also possible that the Packers will try to use an off-ball linebacker. A 4-3 base defense will be the foundation of Jeff Hafley’s new defensive strategy. Apart from Quay Walker, there are no other potential full-time starters at linebacker on the present roster; hence, they should consider selecting one or two in the draft.
In addition, Gutekunst might consider a backup quarterback or running back behind Josh Jacobs on Day 3. But if the Packers pull off a couple surprising moves, don’t be startled.