Getty Xavier McKinney signing with the Packers wasn't a popular move for everyone.
The Green Bay Packers have been uncharacteristically active in free agency, but one league executive isn’t sold on the team’s biggest free agent signing in Xavier McKinney.
Mike Sando with The Athletic spoke with executives across the NFL to get their unfiltered opinions on free agency for all 32 teams. When it came to the Packers, at least one executive wasn’t a huge fan of the team’s decision to pay McKinney.
“I wasn’t a big Xavier McKinney fan — liked him, did not love him — because of the lack of speed,” the executive said.
McKinney was in just the 26th percentile for safeties when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.63 seconds ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft. While he was still able to play at a high level while with the New York Giants, his below-average speed seems to be a concern for at least one high-ranking NFL executive.
Xavier McKinney’s Path to Green Bay
Despite concerns about his speed, McKinney has checked boxes at every step of his football career.
McKinney was a 4-star recruit coming out of high school in Georgia. Offers included top programs like Georgia and Ohio State, but he decided to go to Alabama to play for Nick Saban.
He spent three seasons with the Crimson Tide, winning a national championship as a freshman before earning first-team All-SEC honors as a junior. His consistent contributions on Alabama’s defense helped him go 36th overall to the Giants in the 2020 NFL Draft.
McKinney has had tons of success in the NFL. In four seasons, he’s racked up 279 tackles, 27 pass breakups, nine interceptions, and two forced fumbles. Pro Football Focus had McKinney playing his football in 2023, posting the fourth-highest grade among eligible safeties.
The Packers wanted to bank on McKinney playing his best football at 24 years old. General manager Brian Gutekunst gave him a four-year, $67 million contract as free agency started.
The Packers are hoping McKinney can be a star in the secondary with that kind of deal.
Packers Draft Needs
Now that free agency is winding down, the Packers can turn their attention to the 2024 NFL Draft.
Safety still remains a need, despite the Packers signing McKinney. Anthony Johnson Jr. is the only other safety on the roster with real playing time, but was a Day 3 rookie last season.
Offensive line depth will be another major point of emphasis in this year’s draft. Jon Runyan Jr. and David Bakhtiari are no longer in Green Bay, and the Packers are one injury away from Royce Newman being back out on the field. The Packers could draft multiple linemen to add some much-needed depth.
The Packers will also likely take a swing on an off-ball linebacker. The new defensive scheme that Jeff Hafley is bringing will use a 4-3 base defense. The current roster doesn’t have any likely full-time starters at linebacker outside of Quay Walker, which means they should look at one or two in the draft.
Gutekunst could also look at a running back behind Josh Jacobs or a backup quarterback in Day 3. However, don’t be shocked if the Packers make a few surprise moves.