NFL Scout Helps Rank Top Safeties Capable of Filling Packers’ Biggest Need
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers’ biggest need entering the offseason undoubtedly is at safety. It’s a critical position in new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s scheme. It’s also a position in which the three top players from last season are headed to free agency.
The expectation, to borrow from the lyrics of two musical classics, is the Packers are going to party like it’s 2019 by doing the safety dance. In Year 1 under coach Matt LaFleur, general manager Brian Gutekunst signed Adrian Amos as part of the team’s big free-agent spending spree, then used a first-round pick to land Darnell Savage.
The Packers figure to take a similar approach this offseason by signing one big-time free agent and using a premium draft pick to add another.
With the help of a top NFL scout, who provided his top five, here are the top free agent safeties. (Note: Tampa Bay’s Antoine Winfield Jr. was given the franchise tag so was not considered.) Stats are from the NFL and Pro Football Focus.
The Scout’s Top Five
Xavier McKinney, New York Giants
Draft: Second round, 2020. Age: 24.
Resume: McKinney’s well-rounded skill-set makes him the rather clear-cut No. 1. He started 46 games in four seasons, missing large chunks of 2020 (broken foot) and 2022 (broken hand from an ATV accident). In between, he posted five interceptions in 2021 and three interceptions and 116 tackles in 2023. Of his 1,128 snaps in 2023, 464 came at free safety, 388 came in the box and 167 came in the slot. Of 74 safeties who played 500 snaps, McKinney ranked fourth in missed-tackle percentage (seven misses; 5.7 percent) and sixth in passer rating (52.1). Of 49 safeties with at least 75 coverage snaps from the slot, he was 28th with 9.8 snaps per reception.
College scouting reports carry over to free-agent scouting. Only GM Brian Gutekunst knows if McKinney’s so-so testing numbers will matter in the current evaluation.
For what it’s worth: McKinney played his college ball at Alabama. He would have overlapped by one season with new Packers defensive passing game coordinator Derrick Ansley.
Kyle Dugger, New England Patriots
Draft: Second round, 2020. Age: 27.
Resume: Dugger, who will turn 28 in a couple weeks, was given the transition tag by the Patriots. That’s a one-year tender of $13.8 million. If Dugger signs an offer sheet from another team, the Patriots can match it to retain him. If they do not match the offer, they’d receive no compensation. With $88 million of cap space, the Patriots probably will match. So, Dugger is perhaps only a sort-of free agent.
Dugger has nine interceptions the past three seasons. In 2023, he started all 17 games and had two interceptions and a career-high 109 tackles. Of his 1,116 snaps in 2023, 371 came at free safety, 478 came in the box and 168 came in the slot. Of 74 safeties who played 500 snaps, he ranked 26th in missed-tackle percentage (11 misses; 9.6 percent) and 32nd in passer rating (88.5). Of 49 safeties with at least 75 coverage snaps from the slot, he was 46th with 5.7 snaps per reception.
Julian Blackmon, Indianapolis Colts
Draft: Third round, 2020. Age: 25.
Resume: Blackmon missed most of 2021 following a torn Achilles and had a quiet 2022. In 2023, though, he set career highs with four interceptions, eight passes defensed and 88 tackles. Of his 987 snaps in 2023, 308 came at free safety, 468 came in the box and 175 came in the slot. Of 74 safeties who played 500 snaps, he ranked seventh in missed-tackle percentage (seven misses; 7.4 percent) and 10th in passer rating (55.8). Of 49 safeties with at least 75 coverage snaps from the slot, he was 45th with 6.8 snaps per reception. He spent most of his college career at Utah playing cornerback; that coverage ability is clear.
Kamren Curl, Washington Commanders
Draft: Seventh round, 2020. Age: 25.
Resume: Curl started a career-high 16 games in 2023 and had a career-high 115 tackles and a career-high-tying five passes defensed. A cornerback to start his career at Arkansas, his lone interception came as a rookie. Of his 1,088 snaps in 2023, 422 came at free safety, 429 came in the box and 166 came in the slot. Of 74 safeties who played 500 snaps, he ranked 38th in missed-tackle percentage (14 misses; 11.2 percent) and 55th in passer rating (110.2). Of 49 safeties with at least 75 coverage snaps from the slot, he was 28th with 9.8 snaps per reception.
Alohi Gilman, Los Angeles Chargers
Draft: Sixth round, 2020. Age: 26.
Resume: After starting nine games his first three seasons, Gilman started all 14 appearances in 2023. He set career highs with two interceptions, 10 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and 73 tackles. Of his 928 snaps in 2023, 660 came at free safety, 170 came in the box and 92 came in the slot. Of 74 safeties who played 500 snaps, he ranked 47th in missed-tackle percentage (10 misses; 12.3 percent) and 41st in passer rating (96.7). Had he reached our threshold of at least 75 slot-coverage snaps, he would have ranked 46th with 6.2 snaps per reception.
His draft stock dropped after poor pre-draft workouts, but few safeties had better ball production in 2023.
Solid Second Tier
C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Detroit Lions
Draft: Fourth round, 2019. Age: 25.
Resume: Gardner-Johnson signed a one-year contract with Detroit in free agency but missed most of the season with a torn pectoral. He was back for the playoffs. Traded from the Saints to the Eagles in 2022, he led the NFL with six interceptions despite missing the end of the regular season with a lacerated kidney and added a career-high 67 tackles. He broke up 13 passes in 2020.
Using his 2022 numbers, he played 393 snaps at free safety, 166 in box and 153 in the slot. Not unlike Darnell Savage, he’s got five years of missed tackles on his resume (his career mark of 17.5 percent would have ranked 66th in 2023). In 2022, he ranked 35th out of 45 qualifying safeties with 6.9 slot-coverage snaps per reception.
Jordan Whitehead, New York Jets
Draft: Fourth round, 2018. Age: 26.
Resume: In five seasons, Whitehead has 11 interceptions with 89 starts. He started all 34 games in two seasons with the Jets. In 2023, he set or matched career highs with four interceptions, nine passes defensed and 97 tackles. PFF charged him with a position-worst seven touchdown receptions. He’s that weird combination of big hitter and bad tackler.
Of his 1,076 snaps in 2023, 507 came at free safety, 325 came in the box and 219 came in the slot. Of 74 safeties who played 500 snaps, he ranked 67th in missed-tackle percentage (20 misses; 18.0 percent) and 46th in passer rating (99.6). Of 49 safeties with at least 75 coverage snaps from the slot, he was third with 20.7 snaps per reception.
Geno Stone, Baltimore Ravens
Draft: Seventh round, 2020. Age: 24.
Resume: Stone started eight games his first three seasons. In 2023, he played in 17 games with 11 starts and led all NFL safeties with seven interceptions. He added nine passes defensed and 68 tackles. Of his 950 snaps in 2023, 686 came at free safety, 145 came in the box and 105 came in the slot. Of 74 safeties who played 500 snaps, he ranked 70th in missed-tackle percentage (15 misses; 19.0 percent) and ninth in passer rating (53.1). Of 49 safeties with at least 75 coverage snaps from the slot, he was 42nd with 7.9 snaps per reception. Is he a one-year wonder, and how will that question impact his contract?
Jordan Fuller, Los Angeles Rams
Draft: Sixth round, 2020. Age: 26.
Resume: Dinged by poor pre-draft workouts, Fuller has hit his stride as a solid all-around player. After missing most of 2022, Fuller started all 17 games in 2023 and had his best ball-production season with three interceptions, eight passes defensed and three forced fumbles. He had 113 tackles in 2021. Of his 1,057 snaps in 2023, 692 came at free safety, 226 came in the box and 131 came in the slot. Of 74 safeties who played 500 snaps, he ranked 27th in missed-tackle percentage (10 misses; 9.9 percent) and 17th in passer rating (73.8). Of 49 safeties with at least 75 coverage snaps from the slot, he was 23rd with 10.9 snaps per reception.
Intriguing Best of the Rest
Kevin Byard, Philadelphia Eagles
Draft: Third round, 2016. Age: 30.
Resume: Age is the only reason why Byard, who will turn 31 during training camp, isn’t higher on this list. Byard had All-Pro seasons with the Titans in 2017 and 2021. In 2017, he led the NFL with eight interceptions. He added five in 201 and four in 2022. He was dealt to the Eagles at the trade deadline and finished with a career-worst one interception but a career-best 122 tackles.
Of his 1,117 snaps in 2023, 515 came at free safety, 351 came in the box and 230 came in the slot. No free-agent safety played more slot-coverage snaps. Of 74 safeties who played 500 snaps, he ranked first in missed-tackle percentage (seven misses; 4.7 percent) and 51st in passer rating (106.4). Of 49 safeties with at least 75 coverage snaps from the slot, he was 44th with 7.5 snaps per reception.
Jeremy Chinn, Carolina Panthers
Draft: Second round, 2020. Age: 26.
Resume: Chinn, who was runner-up for Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2020, would be an interesting reclamation project because he’s got freakish physical tools with a safety skill-set in a linebacker’s body. A linebacker/safety his first two seasons, he had a combined 224 tackles, eight tackles for losses, two interceptions and three forced fumbles. Miscast in the Panthers’ Cover-2 scheme last year, he played in 12 games (eight starts), his numbers slid to 30 tackles and one pass defensed.
Of his 285 snaps in 2023, two came at free safety, 107 came in the box and 143 came in the slot. His career missed-tackle rate is a decent-enough 12.0 percent. Of 49 safeties with at least 75 coverage snaps from the slot in 2023, he was 19th with 12.1 snaps per reception.
Tashaun Gipson, San Francisco 49ers
Draft: Undrafted, 2012. Age: 33.
Resume: Gipson played under Jeff Hafley with the Browns in 2014 and 2015. In 2014, he led the NFL with six interceptions. He’s got 33 career interceptions, including five with the 49ers in 2022. In 2023, he had one interception, three passes defensed and 60 tackles. Even at his age, he was barely tested. Of his 976 snaps in 2023, 578 came at free safety, 166 came in the box and 203 came in the slot. Of 74 safeties who played 500 snaps, he ranked 35th in missed-tackle percentage (seven misses; 10.6 percent) and second in passer rating (38.9). Of 49 safeties with at least 75 coverage snaps from the slot, he was fourth with 19.1 snaps per reception.
Quandre Diggs, Seattle Seahawks
Draft: Sixth round, 2015. Age: 31.
Resume: Drafted by the Lions and traded to the Seahawks in 2019, he’s started every game the past five seasons. After grabbing five interceptions in 2020, five in 2021 and four in 2022, he had only one pick with five passes defensed in 2023. His 95 tackles set a career high. At 5-foot-9, he would not have been a draft consideration by the Packers.
He is one of the most one-dimensional safeties in the NFL. Of his 1,155 snaps in 2023, 1,020 came at free safety, 87 came in the box and just 40 came in the slot. Of 74 safeties who played 500 snaps, he ranked 66th in missed-tackle percentage (20 misses; 17.5 percent) and 38th in passer rating (95.4).
Deshon Elliott, Miami Dolphins
Draft: Sixth round, 2018. Age: 26.
Resume: With Detroit in 2022, he had a career-high 96 tackles. With Miami in 2023, he had a career-high seven passes defensed. He’s had one interception each of the last three years. Of his 926 snaps in 2023, 574 came at free safety, 236 came in the box and 97 came in the slot. Of 74 safeties who played 500 snaps, he ranked 21st in missed-tackle percentage (eight misses; 8.7 percent) and 59th in passer rating (114.3). Had he reached our 75 coverage-snaps threshold, he would have ranked 34th with 9.1 slot-coverage snaps per reception.
Micah Hyde, Buffalo Bills
Draft: Fifth round, 2013. Age: 33.
Resume: Hyde spent his first four seasons with the Packers, tallying eight interceptions during that span. From there, he was a two-time All-Pro with the Bills. He has 24 career interceptions. After missing most of 2022 with a neck injury, Hyde started all 14 appearances in 2023 and tallied two interceptions and seven passes defensed. Of his 796 snaps in 2023, 403 came at free safety, 194 came in the box and 174 came in the slot. Of 74 safeties who played 500 snaps, he ranked 47th in missed-tackle percentage (seven misses; 12.3 percent) and 65th in passer rating (122.1). Of 49 safeties with at least 75 coverage snaps from the slot, he was 21st with 11.3 snaps per reception.
