NFL free agency begins next week. As a Packer fan in the last 10-15 years, you can usually say "Oh, that's this week?" The Green Bay Packers are famously very inactive when it comes to signing any of the top names on the market. The rumors will fly, agents will say that the Packers have interest, and fans will get their hopes up, only for the fans that know better to let out a chuckle as the only free agent signing ends up being a Special Teams gunner that'll maybe end up becoming the team's third-string safety. The team is famous for bargain bin hunting. They'd much rather find that cheaper diamond in the rough or fill team needs with draft picks than overspend in free agency. For the most part, it's worked to their advantage. 

But this year, and I do slightly hesitate to say this, could be a little different. With one of the youngest teams in the league and a few holes to be filled on the roster, it may be wise to bring in a few more veterans to take those spots. Even though most of the team's experience is on the defensive side of the ball already, with a new defensive coordinator and scheme entering the building, it may be a good idea to fill any defensive holes with a veteran or two. One of those positions of need is Safety. With the team seemingly letting Darnell Savage, Jonathan Owens, and Rudy Ford walk, they will need some better options for the position. Perhaps one, maybe two of those will be re-signed to a one-year deal for 2024, but that still leaves a void in the Packers defensive backfield.

Tuesday afternoon as teams were electing whether or not to use the franchise tag on their potential free agents, news broke that the New York Giants would not be tagging Safety Xavier McKinney. This means next week, McKinney will be free to begin talks on a new contract with any interested team he chooses. There is a caveat of course that the Giants could have elected not to use the tag on McKinney to afford them more time to work out a new contract. But with the team possibly moving in a new direction and pushing an influx of youth, they could let McKinney hit the market. If he does, the Packers are expected to be potential suitors. 

Many believe McKinney could ask for a deal in the range of $17.5M-$18M annually. But few believe he will end up with that deal. It's said he could likely fit in the $13.5M annually range on a four-year deal. I could see the Packers perhaps maneuvering the numbers to have him around that range, but loading the contract with incentives he could achieve to receive even more money in his pocket that wouldn't exactly count against the cap.

What does Xavier McKinney bring?

Without looking at any statistics, one of the first things I notice with Xavier McKinney is that he is currently 24 years of age, and won't turn 25 until about the start of the Preseason on August 9th. Some of the players entering the league via the NFL draft in April are already 24-25 years of age. A four-year deal would place McKinney at 28 by the time the contract expires and still in line for another possible 2-4-year deal without age being a big hesitation. And don't think that young age means a lack of leadership skill, as McKinney served as a team captain of the Giants' defense for 2 of his last 4 years on the team. 

"Xavier McKinney is arguably coming off one of his best seasons in the NFL where he played every snap on the Giants' defense, logging a career-high 116 tackles. He also logged two fumble recoveries and forced another, had three interceptions, and logged 11 passes defended. When searching the web for player stats and information, ensuring online security becomes paramount for fans. Utilizing a reliable PrizePicks VPN can offer peace of mind by safeguarding sensitive information and providing secure access to sports updates and highlights."

But how does he fit what the Packers want to do with new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley?

It is believed that Hafley will be running a deep safety role on passing downs. Xavier McKinney has shown in his four seasons with the Giants that he has great recognition and speed to go from back-pedaling in the middle of the field to turning on the jets toward the sideline to close in on a receiver running a post-route and break up the pass. Or even make the interception. Another notch in the positives column for McKinney is that he does not miss many tackles. He's about as close as you can get to a sure-tackler for a safety and that would be a very welcome addition to this Packers team that has very much lacked in that column as far as the secondary goes. That idea alone almost makes me want the Packers to pay him whatever he wants. 

In the NFL lately, it seems to have a few connections to potential free agents already in your building can help sway those candidates in your favor. Derrick Ansley was the lead recruiter and a coach for Xavier McKinney in Alabama. Now, Derrick Ansley is the Packers' new defensive passing game coordinator under Jeff Hafley. Also, Xavier McKinney shares an agent with Jordan Love. While the familiarity with a defensive coach could be a nice bonus for the Packers, the agent sharing is more from a networking perspective. If McKinney is interested in Green Bay, his agent will have familiarity with how the Packers negotiate and can give him a heads-up on what to expect, as well as McKinney could reach out to Jordan Love himself easily to gain an understanding of the locker room and the environment he'll be walking into if he chooses Green Bay.

There are several free-agent safeties on the market in 2024 that the Packers could have their eyes on. Jordan Fuller from the Rams could be another great option for the Packers. But I like what I see from McKinney just a little more in terms of production, age, and leadership. If we're going to pay a pretty penny for the safety position this off-season, I would love to see Xavier McKinney in a Packers uniform to start 2024.