The Green Bay Packers are about to have a major need on the backend of their defense. With safeties Darnell Savage, Jonathan Owens, and Rudy Ford all slated to be free agents, Green Bay will have a major need at that position. With $13.6 million in cap space, Green Bay may look to address part of that position in free agency.

This makes Xavier McKinney a prime candidate for the Packers. After not being tagged by the New York Giants, McKinney will be free to explore his options. Green Bay would be wise to sign him once free agency starts. Here is why:

An Ascending Player

One of the many reasons why McKinney is an attractive option is because of his age. He is just 24 years of age, and he has already played four years in the NFL. For context, Bengals signal-caller Joe Burrow was drafted at 23 years of age. McKinney is both young and experienced. That is a very underrated quality that NFL GMs will like.

McKinney is also coming off of his best career season. Het set career-highs in tackles (116), pass deflections (11), and completion percentage allowed (63.1%). He is trending towards becoming a real star in this league, especially if he ends on a winning team that continues to utilize his skills in the best way possible. That is where the Packers could come in.

The Perfect Fit

The Packers would be a fantastic destination for McKinney. Not only do they have a winning culture and an exciting, new defensive coordinator in Jeff Hafley, but they also have a familiar face from McKinney’s past working there. According to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, when McKinney was recruited to play at Alabama in 2017, a man by the name of Derrick Ansley was the lead recruiter. Guess where Ansley is now? He is Green Bay’s defensive pass game coordinator.

Additionally, the Packers have signed ascending defensive players under GM Brian Gutekunst’s direction before. Back in 2019, they went on a big spending spree signing players like Preston Smith, Za’Darius Smith, and Adrian Amos. The safety in Amos in particular is fascinating because he went on to have four very solid seasons with the Packers.

McKinney, like Amos, is headed for his second contract. However, he is two years younger than Amos was. If the Packers are looking to load up on defense with youth and talent, McKinney would be a fantastic addition. A heavy hitter with great coverage skills.