The Green Bay Packers set out this offseason to build a defense capable of being a worthy complement to a young, prolific, and exciting offense around quarterback Jordan Love.
A centerpiece of the Packers’ offseason was signing former New York Giants safety Xavier McKinney, widely viewed as the premier free agent available at the position.
McKinney arrives in Green Bay after developing a reputation as a fundamentally sound defender with tremendous ball-skills and instincts in coverage, which could make him an ideal leader on the field for new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.
Xavier McKinney Named Green Bay Packers’ X-Factor for 2024 NFL Season
ESPN NFL analyst Ben Solak put together a list of each team’s X-factor for the upcoming season, pointing out how important McKinney has the chance to be to the Packers’ success on defense.
“We’re not entirely sure what new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley will run in the NFL,” Solak writes for ESPN. “But at Boston College, he relied very heavily on a post safety — that’s one deep free safety roaming around in centerfield. McKinney can live there, but he has been best in his career in a more versatile role, that’s how rookie safety Javon Bullard won at Georgia, as well. I think Hafley will mess around with his safeties quite a bit, and if McKinney is the player Green Bay paid for, he’ll shine as the featured part of that secondary. A Jessie Bates III-esque explosion on a new team is in the cards here, and if the Packers finally enter the postseason with a serious defense… watch out.”
There is little doubt that the Packers will lean heavily on McKinney, potentially deploying him all over the field, including when blitzing.
McKinney arrives in Green Bay with 279 total tackles through his first 49 games, along with nine interceptions — including one returned for a touchdown, 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
Playing in a scheme that emphasizes strong play in the secondary could bring out the best in McKinney, which has the potential to raise the level of play across a Packers defense that woefully underachieved in 2023.
