Green Bay, WI – Safety is clearly the biggest roster position needing addressed this offseason. Some may say safety has been a liability every season for years now, but who is out there that can fill this immediate need for an upgrade?
Multiple defensive backs that were going to be on the open market were hit with franchise tags right before free agency opened up. Tampa Bay All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr., Chicago second-team All-Pro cornerback Jaylon Johnson and Kansas City cornerback L’Jarius Sneed were all franchise tagged along with New England safety Kyle Dugger being hit with a transition tag.
Xavier McKinney taking the field against the Green Bay Packers.
Surprisingly, The New York Giants decided to not tag 2020 2nd round draft pick and three year starter safety Xavier McKinney, which allows him to test free agency. McKinney automatically becomes a top target for teams who need an immediate impact at safety. Although he struggled through injuries in 2023, McKinney recorded 116 tackles, three interceptions, 11 defended passes, two fumble recoveries and a half sack in the nine games he played.
McKinney’s estimated contract is expected to pay around $12 million which would land him in the top ten at his position. The Packers have cap room to play with, especially if they move on from All-Pro offensive tackle David Bakhtiari as expected. Other free agents beyond McKinney include New York Jets’ Jordan Whitehead, Detroit’s Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Baltimore’s Geno Stone, Washington’s Karmen Curl, Indianapolis’ Julian Blackmon, Los Angeles Rams’ Jordan Fuller and the Packers’ own Darnell Savage.
With a deep safety market this year, the Packers may even be able to double dip in the free agent market. The Packers have the ability to free up to $60 million in cap space through restructured deals and trades, so if the Packers want to make an impact addition, they have the means to do so. That may mean making not only one key addition, but perhaps two at the safety position.
“I think it just depends on the player,” said Gutekunst. “It depends on who that is and how he can impact our football team. I don’t think we’ll shy away from adding impact players if we have to push things down the road. We’d prefer not to do that, but at the same time, this is about winning and trying to win a championship, so if that’s something that makes sense, we’ll do it.”
-Packers GM Brian Gutekunst
Safety NFL Draft Prospects
The 2024 NFL Draft has a fairly weak safety class this year, but one of the stronger cornerback classes we’ve seen in recent years. There are a few prospects who played corner in college who could also play safety position at the next level. One of those players is Cooper DeJean from Iowa.
Athleticism is not an issue for Cooper DeJean. He is the prototypical hybrid defensive back that would thrive in new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s 4-3 defense. Cornerback is one of the strongest position groups in the upcoming draft class the while the safety position is extremely weak. DeJean has phenomenal field vision and natural ball skills that scream futre Packer. DeJean has played both cornerback spots at Iowa, but he’s projected as a hybrid DB in the NFL.
Another prospect on the Packers board is Washington State safety Jaden Hicks. Hicks is an explosive run defender who loves violently crashing downhill to meet ball carriers. He has very disciplined eyes that also allow him to play the ball and disrupt catches. Line him up in the box, in the slot or deep, it doesn’t matter, the physicality that Hicks plays with is exactly what Green Bay’s defense needs. Pairing Hicks with DeJean, who can patrol centerfield, while Hicks can play downhill would make for a formidable safety duo.
WSU Safety Jaden Hicks
There are some options for the Packers to address their biggest need, but I think the best approach would be to use both free agency and the NFL draft to maximize talent at the position. Regardless, it will be interesting to see how creative Gutekunst gets.
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