The Green Bay Packers have acquired Josh Jacobs and Xavier McKinney as two of their biggest signings in 2024 NFL free agency. And as it turns out, Jordan Love played a huge role in why it is so.
Josh Jacobs and Xavier McKinney reunited in Green Bay Packers
In an interview with ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, both Jacobs and McKinney said that the idea of playing with a budding young quarterback in Jordan Love was one of the main factors (besides money) why they pushed for a move to Wisconsin.
“Obviously, young quarterback, young skill guys, good offensive line,” Jacobs said. “To have a guy so young and playing as well as he has, and a guy that’s going to be around for a long time, it’s fun to have something stable and know what you’re going to get out of a guy week in and week out. So that’s very exciting for me.”
“It’s a competitive league and you need an elite quarterback to be able to even have a chance. I believe that he is an elite quarterback. Obviously, I played against him and I watched him play, and I think he’s really good and the sky’s the limit for him,” added McKinney.
Before joining the Green Bay Packers, Jacobs and McKinney often discussed the possibility of both playing in the NFL since they played together at Alabama. However, they never thought they would be on the same team until this summer.
“Knowing him for so long, even over the years, we still talk all the time,” said Jacobs about his relationship with McKinney. “For me to be able to come here with him, we were talking about it (when arriving in Green Bay), sitting down eating, it’s special. I don’t think it’s really hit me yet, being here and everything like that, but I think it’s going to be fun.”
To make this all possible, it helped that the Green Bay Packers had enough room to sign both Jacobs and McKinney.
Jacobs was signed on a four-year, $48 million deal to be Green Bay’s new RB1, following the release of Aaron Jones, who went to the Minnesota Vikings. Xavier McKinney, meanwhile, signed a four-year, $68 million deal to be their new free safety.