The Green Bay Packers have people around the league talking about their safety group like it’s the best in football. And honestly, the numbers back it up.
Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams, and Javon Bullard form a three-man rotation that hits hard, covers ground, and makes quarterbacks pay for mistakes. But McKinney is the guy who makes the whole thing tick. And ESPN just dropped a stat that puts his 2024 season in perspective.
Jeremy Fowler reported that McKinney hasn’t allowed a touchdown as the nearest defender since joining the Packers in 2024. Not one. In two seasons. That’s not normal for a safety playing deep middle and rolling down into the box.
The Numbers Are Bonkers
Last year alone, McKinney held opposing QBs to a 54.7 passer rating when targeted. He gave up 15 catches on 29 targets for 172 yards. That’s basically a shutdown corner’s stat line, but he’s doing it from the safety spot.
Fowler called McKinney’s game the most refined among all NFL safeties, praising his discipline and ability to freelance without breaking the scheme. He also noted that McKinney’s ball-hawk rate of 34.5% ranks first among safeties with at least 400 coverage snaps.
The guy just finds the football.
He racked up 107 combined tackles last season, 54 solo, with 10 passes defended and two picks. On paper, it’s a Pro Bowl year. In context, it might’ve been the best safety season in the NFC.
ESPN Ranked Him Third
The network slotted McKinney at No. 3 behind Derwin James Jr. and Kyle Hamilton. That feels about right. James is a hybrid monster. Hamilton is a do-everything safety for Baltimore. But McKinney’s coverage numbers are genuinely better than both of theirs over the last 12 months.
The Packers offense runs through Jordan Love, obviously. He’s the franchise guy. But there’s a real argument that McKinney is the most impactful player on the roster. He erases mistakes in the secondary. He lets defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley play more aggressive coverages. And he does it without drawing attention to himself.
Green Bay has made the wild card two years in a row and lost both times. The defense kept them in those games. McKinney kept the defense together.
If the Packers are going to finally get over the hump, it won’t just be Love’s arm that gets them there. It’ll be a safety who hasn’t let anyone score on his watch in two years.
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