Anonymous NFL coordinator calls out Packers over massive free agent signing

Recently, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler has been putting out positional rankings based upon data from several league sources, scouts and coaches. In his top-10 safety list just published this past week, Green Bay Packers 2024 free agent signing, Xavier McKinney, was included at No. 10 overall.

First, Fowler talked about some positives as one NFC personnel evaluator had this to say:

"Versatile safety that provides scheme flexibility because of his physical attributes and athletic profile. I think he's grown over the past year in terms of his man coverage, blitz and disguise ability. He showed more this past season that he can be strategically moved around the backfield and deployed in multiple ways," wrote Fowler.

But then, the ESPN insider went on to give us one little tidbit about some coordinator who clearly has no idea what he's talking about.

This Xavier McKinney take is about as bad as it gets

"Others believe he's good all-around but not great at anything. 'He doesn't scare you,' an NFL coordinator said," Fowler wrote.

He doesn't scare you? Really? That's what a real, legitimate NFL coordinator said?

Let's take a step back and give this quote a little picking over, shall we?

Has that coordinator watched any film last year? Sure, the Giants stunk as a football team. But, McKinney was arguably one of the brightest spots on that team, if not the brightest. You're talking about a guy who was given the highest coverage grade out of all qualifying safeties for the 2023 season, per Pro Football Focus (91.2).

Yes, that means McKinney was viewed as being better in coverage than the likes of Kyle Hamilton, Antoine Winfield Jr., Jessie Bates and ... well, the entire rest of the league at that position.

Last year, McKinney allowed an opposing passer rating of only 52.1, picked off three passes and allowed zero touchdowns.

McKinney is known to be a strong run defender, which the Packers will need to utilize in the league's "black and blue division." But, where he really shines is in coverage, and that's where Green Bay will especially need him to shine, specifically if Caleb Williams and J.J. McCarthy live up to their draft billing. Remember, the Lions love to mix it up between running and passing and have one of the league's top wide receivers in Amon-Ra St. Brown and a quarterback that's not going anywhere soon in Jared Goff.

McKinney's prowess in coverage is going to be relied upon heavily, and there is no question he was exactly what this Packers defense needed this offseason.

He doesn't scare you? Let's just pray for some irony and that the Packers wind up facing off against this delusional coordinator in 2024.

More Packers news and analysis