Packers safety Xavier McKinney is dealing with a lingering calf injury and may miss the rest of training camp as a result, per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.
McKinney indicated on Thursday that he could miss a few weeks of practice and said (via WFVR’s Cameron Ezeir) that he “probably” would not play in the preseason, though that may have already been the plan. Last year, McKinney played all of nine snaps in the Packers’ first preseason game before sitting out the other two, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
The veteran safety insisted that he would be ready for Week 1 and referred to the team’s “plan” for his injury multiple times. The Packers are just over five weeks away from their regular season opener against the Lions, giving McKinney a long runway to ramp up.
Second-year safety Javon Bullard is listed as McKinney’s backup on the Packers’ unofficial depth chart and will likely replace him in practice. Bullard started 11 games last year and played 361 snaps in the slot, 259 as a free safety, and 169 in the box, per PFF. If McKinney’s absence is extended into the regular season, Bullard could step into a full-time role at safety with Keisean Nixon starting at nickel.
Though Bullard and Evan Williams, the Packers’ other starting safety, got plenty of experience as rookies last year, McKinney was one of the best in the league last year. Getting the All-Pro back on the field will be crucial to the Packers’ early matchups against the Lions and the Commanders.