Who’s Lining up Next to Xavier McKinney?

In the last 15 years, I don’t think a Free Agent signing has made more sense for the Green Bay Packers than Xavier McKinney. He’s a premiere player in a position of need, he’s young only turning 25 in August, he’s a leader, and he loves the game. In my lifetime, I can’t recall chomping at the bit for the Packers to sign a player more than I did for Xavier McKinney. When I read the news that McKinney was now a Packer, I nearly jumped through the ceiling. Given that excitement, there are many expectations around the new number 29. But outside of that, the Packers still have questions at the Safety position, and that is, who will play next to Xavier McKinney?

This offseason, the Packers elected to overhaul the Safety position. Of the 2,280 Safety snaps on defense during the 2023 season, Darnell Savage, Jonathan Owens, and Rudy Ford accounted for 85% of them. Guess what, all three of those players are not returning to the Packers in 2024. The player that accounted for the most Safety snaps after those three is Anthony Johnson Jr. with 13%. So, after Xavier McKinney, the Packers’ NFL experience at the Safety position is honestly a big sea of nothingness. Which is fine. If the Bears can roll out a rookie with a goose egg for experience at the Quarterback position come week 1, I think the Packers can afford to do the same at Safety. But who’s going to take it?

If OTA’s on Tuesday are any indication, the Packers are making anyone who wants it, earn it. Anthony Johnson Jr. received the first reps next to Xavier McKinney in DB drills as well as team reps in the first practice open to the media. No matter their draft position or the hype that might be behind them, the Packers usually don’t hand rookies anything. They make them earn their position. Having three rookie safeties in Javon Bullard, Evan Williams, and Kitan Oladapo, the Packers have some strong competition for that starting spot. They must understand the past is the past, and your draft position doesn’t matter, you have to perform to earn that spot. Anthony Johnson Jr. was a 7th-round pick last year, he’s going up against three rookies that were second, fourth, and fifth-round picks. That doesn’t matter, right now he’s proved more than they have so he leads the way. 

But when it’s all said and done, who could hold that spot come week 1 in Sao Paulo?

Setting themselves apart

Yes, he was a 7th round pick. But back in April of 2023, I personally had Anthony Johnson Jr. graded as a 4th or early 5th-round pick.  Imagine my surprise as I was shopping with my wife and kids on day 3 of the draft and my brother texted me that in round 7 the Packers just selected him. I can still remember responding “Really? I thought he’d go in the 4th or 5th round!” The common thought is to think perhaps you were wrong on your “grade.”  But I didn’t think so, he was at a smaller school in Iowa State, but he was a team captain with 54 starts, and I felt he was a very intelligent safety who wasn’t afraid of contact, could change direction on a dime, and he shows patience in coverage, so I was sold on the Cyclone Safety. The Packers felt the same, as his playing time, though brief, is an indicator despite the 7th-round pick status. But I see much of the same in second-round selection, Javon Bullard. 

Great route anticipation, above-average football intelligence, patience in reaction while in coverage, attacks blockers and ball carriers, sounds a little familiar doesn’t it? That’s a short description of Javon Bullard whom the Packers drafted in the second round. I said above that the Packers don’t care where you were drafted, they make you earn your spot regardless, but often draft position can break a close race. It doesn’t take high intelligence to understand the larger investment may have the benefit of a tiebreaker. Javon Bullard played more of a backup role in OTA’s on Tuesday, but many think he could be a perfect compliment to Xavier McKinney. They both play a similar game and Bullard has the nickel corner experience to drop into the slot in the event Jeff Hafley prefers more single-high safety sets. We all know that “versatility” is the word Brian Gutekunst and Matt LaFleur dream about when they go to bed, so if Bullard shows he can handle the duties in camp and preseason, the job could be his right out of the gate. 

Evan Williams and Kitan Oladapo I see being more role players than every down safeties. Williams is an excellent box safety who is a hunter. I could see him dropping in the box at times while McKinney is back in single-high, as Williams is great at tracking the ball carrier and had a good rate of QB pressure to sack conversion in college. His speed may be a knock against him for being the true “guy” but he could still make a case. Oladapo could be more of a nickel corner if you ask me. He does a good job of pressuring the QB if sent in, and he also is great at tracking receivers in motion. Again, I’m not sure about the full-on starting spot next to Xavier McKinney, but there could be a small case with time. 

My Prediction

The Safety position opposite Xavier McKinney isn’t just a spot to play football in the NFL. Under Jeff Hafley, I believe the Packers are going to see a big change in the quality of their secondary. On Tuesday McKinney said that he watches practice film as soon as practice ends so he can relay what he sees to other DBs and they can get ahead of post-practice meetings. As I said before, we not only have a premiere player in the Safety position now but a team leader who wants his teammates to be on the same level he is. 

Though I believe Anthony Johnson Jr. will be a close second, I think Javon Bullard is going to take the other Safety position. Draft stock may help my opinion a bit but I think if there’s someone to benefit from McKinney’s tutelage and translate to the field, it’s going to be Bullard. 

Regardless of who takes the position in week 1, I’m excited for the future of the Packers’ Safety position and can’t wait to see how it can help take what has been a dismal defense these last few years and turn it into a power house.