Packers Training Camp Preview: Safety Battles, X-Factor, Game-Changer

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Last year’s extreme makeover of the safety position couldn’t have gone any better for the Green Bay Packers. Xavier McKinney, Javon Bullard, Evan Williams and even Kitan Oladapo were an infinite upgrade over Darnell Savage, Jonathan Owens and Rudy Ford.

After an impactful first season together, the whole group is back for Year 2. Here is a closer look in our Packers training camp preview of the safeties.

Coming and Going

Every safety from last season is back. Xavier McKinney will lead the group after earning All-Pro honors. Second-round pick Javon Bullard, fourth-round pick Evan Williams and fifth-round selection Kitan Oladapo are looking to build on promising rookie seasons. Zayne Anderson proved he can be more than just a player on special teams. Even Omar Brown, who finished last season on the practice squad, is back for camp.

Officially, there was one addition with Kahzir Brown signed as an undrafted free agent. Jonathan Baldwin, who signed a big contract as an undrafted free agent, is listed as a cornerback but played safety during the offseason practices.

Biggest Battle: Javon Bullard vs. Evan Williams

While the focus will be on the receivers, starting safety might wind up being the hottest battle in training camp. Who will line up next to Xavier McKinney for Week 1 against Detroit?

The Packers have two good options with Javon Bullard, who started 11 games as a rookie, and Evan Williams, who started six games and earned All-Rookie honors.

Last season, there were plenty of snaps to go around because Jaire Alexander’s injuries led to Keisean Nixon moving from slot to cornerback and Bullard moving from safety to slot.

Packers defenders Javon Bullard (20), Xavier McKinney (29) and Isaiah McDuffie (58) tackle Minnesota RB Aron Jones. — Green Bay Packers safety Javon Bullard (20), safety Xavier McKinney (29) and linebacker Isaiah McDuffie (58) tackle Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones. | William Glasheen/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

That might not be the case this year, though. At cornerback, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley must figure out his best combination. Is it Nixon and Carrington Valentine at cornerback with Nate Hobbs in the slot? Or is it Nixon and Hobbs at cornerback with Bullard in the slot?

If Hafley decides to ride with Nixon, Hobbs and Valentine, the winner of Bullard vs. Williams will get a lot of playing time and the loser might not get any.

“High,” Williams said of the level of competition at safety. “When you’re out at practice, you know, ‘I don’t have a spot guaranteed for me.’ Right? So, every time you’re out there at practice, it makes you a little more adamant about just being a little more intentional with your reps. And I feel like those good competitive juices are flowing and, anytime we have those flowing, it’s going to lead to some good things on our end.”

Game-Changer: Xavier McKinney

The Packers had perhaps the worst group of safeties in the NFL in 2023. Xavier McKinney was arguably the best in the business in 2024. His eight interceptions were one more than the entire roster in 2023. In the process, the Packers went from 31st in interceptions to tied for third. His former team, the Giants, were a mirror image, going from third with McKinney in 2023 to 31st without him in 2024.

McKinney was sensational. He made big plays. He eliminated big plays. He tackled. He led. It’s hard to say a four-year, $67 million contract is a bargain. It’s easy to say McKinney was worth every penny.

“There’s always going to be levels of improvement,” he said during OTAs. “I think my biggest thing is I like to say, I have my foot on their necks. And, really, it’s going to be the same. I’m not going to let off the gas for nothing or nobody. That same intensity, that same energy, it’s going to stay the same.

“Obviously, I know what I want to accomplish by the end of my career, and I know that in order to hit that goal, these years are going to matter. So, I take that seriously; I don’t take that lightly. So, for me, it’s just keep grinding, keep my head down, and keep locking in on the small details so I don’t get complacent and I keep having these All-Pro years.”

Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney (29) intercepts a pass by Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

X-Factor: Javon Bullard

Remember that complete and total lack of proven depth at cornerback? That’s where Javon Bullard comes in.

Last year, he spent training camp at safety, which he played at Georgia in 2023. When injuries struck, Bullard moved to the slot, which he played in 2022. It meant a challenging learning curve and, when combined with an ankle injury, inconsistent play. Now is when there needs to be a payoff.

If Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine or Nate Hobbs were to miss time with an injury, the remaining two from that group could play cornerback and Bullard could move into the slot. Or, maybe Bullard will win the job in the slot during camp.

Said defensive backs coach Ryan Downard: “We had multiple conversations with Bull last year that, ‘What you’re doing right now, it might seem hard right now – and it is very hard to be, No. 1, a rookie that’s playing in the league, and then, No. 2, we’re asking you to learn both jobs.’ But we had that conversation, ‘This is going to serve you and you have the ability to do both, so you got to embrace that role,’ and he has.”

Under the Radar: Kitan Oladapo

Kitan Oladapo was the third of the safeties drafted last year. A toe injury sustained at the Scouting Combine eliminated any chance for him to carve out much of a role as a rookie. He finally got his chance in Week 18 against the Bears and played 50 solid snaps.

Unless there are injuries, it’s hard to envision much of a role for Oladapo this year, either. On defense, anyway. With his size and athletic ability, he should be a vital cog on special teams.

Green Bay Packers safety Kitan Oladapo (27) participates in the team's minicamp at Ray Nitschke Field. | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

“I knew coming that this was going to be a process for him because of the injury,” defensive backs coach Ryan Downard said. “I’ve always said this – when you get a guy in, say you acquire him in free agency or the guy’s been cut and you get him halfway through training camp or at the end of training camp – they’re playing catchup. So, they don’t have the accumulation of all those reps (and) the time on task of all those particular techniques. So, when you get in the season, things go so fast with the game plan that they’re just trying to hold on, right? You’ll usually see a jump with guys who were brought in.”

Noteworthy Number

Eight: Interceptions last season by Xavier McKinney. That’s as many interceptions as all the Packers’ safeties combined in 2022 and 2023, when Rudy Ford had five and Darnell Savage, Adrian Amos and Anthony Johnson had one apiece.

Betting Odds

Following a blockbuster debut season with Green Bay, Xavier McKinney finished eighth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. McKinney isn’t considered much of a candidate for this season, though. At FanDuel Sportsbook, his odds to win the award are +8500. That’s tied for the 25th-shortest on the board. Among safeties, Baltimore’s Kyle Hamilton and Detroit’s Kerby Joseph have the shortest odds at +5000.

McKinney is +10000 at DraftKings.

Roster Projection

Xavier McKinney, Javon Bullard, Evan Williams, Kitan Oladapo, Zayne Anderson.

Key to Success: Year 2 Jumps

Javon Bullard played 786 snaps as a rookie and Evan Williams played 474. As a franchise that preaches drafting and developing, the Packers need to see that development in Year 2.

The keys will be health and playmaking. Bullard’s only pass breakup came in Week 2 against the Colts and his only tackle for loss came in Week 4 against the Vikings. Williams was a ball magnet on the practice field but had only one interception. His three breakups came in the first five weeks of the season. When he played 30-plus snaps, the Packers were 7-0.

“One day better, that’s the deal in our room,” said defensive backs coach Ryan Downard, who spends most of his time with the safeties. “I’m going to push both those guys to continue pushing themselves. They were just trying to figure out and stay afloat last year as rookies, whether they’ll tell you that or not, (and) I think they did a hell of a job.

“But as a rookie, you’re coming in and you got so much going on. They’ve acquired one year, so we’ve just got to keep getting them more and more reps. It’ll keep making them better because of the process.”