Packers make strong defensive statement by adding star safety

Former New York Giants safety Xavier McKinney. Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Packers make another strong defensive statement by adding star safety

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated 3/11/24

The Green Bay Packers came into the 2024 offseason knowing that changes had to be made defensively.

The offense — led by Jordan Love in his first season as starting quarterback and a cadre of young and talented pass-catchers — turned out to be way ahead of schedule in 2023.

So far ahead that the Packers blew out the Dallas Cowboys in the wild-card round of the playoffs and were just a drive away from going to the NFC Championship Game.

Defensively, the Packers were lackluster under the leadership of Joe Barry, so out went Barry, and in came former Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley to run a new, aggressive scheme.

That was defensive statement No. 1 of the offseason for general manager Brian Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur.

Statement No. 2 is the reported signing of safety Xavier McKinney to a four-year, $68 million contract.

More Packers moves: Free-agent safety Xavier McKinney is signing a four-year, $68 million deal - a $17M per year average - with the Green Bay Packers. Agent David Mulugheta confirmed the deal. pic.twitter.com/tNy4F6YkHc
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 11, 2024

This move, plus the firing of Barry and the hiring of Hafley, shows that Green Bay is doing everything it can to be "for real" on defense.

Safety was a massive liability last season for Green Bay, and in McKinney, the Packers now have a player who can plug all of those gaps.

He's versatile — able to play both in the box and deep safety — and he's a reliable leader.

McKinney was a defensive captain for the New York Giants last season and he played 100 percent of the team's defensive snaps — notching a career-high 116 total tackles with three interceptions and two fumble recoveries.

The Packers have what could be considered a star player at each defensive position now that McKinney is expected to be on the roster in 2024.

Defensive line: Kenny Clark

Pass-rusher: Rashan Gary

Linebacker: Quay Walker

Cornerback: Jaire Alexander

Safety: Xavier McKinney

McKinney is an All-Pro level player who has 279 career tackles and nine career interceptions since being selected by the Giants in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Alabama.

More must-reads: