Should Packers extend Xavier McKinney's contract early?

Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst has had success in signing free agents, but the 2025 class proved to be an exception. Xavier McKinney is one of the standout examples of Green Bay making a big splash with a free agent coming off their rookie contract. They signed McKinney to a four-year, $67 million deal two years ago, and they might consider extending him early.

The contract was restructured this offseason to create more cap room in 2026, raising his cap hit for 2027 to $24.8 million. Green Bay is expected to be under $200,000 of the 2027 salary cap. They could potentially roll over a large amount from this year, as they are currently $27.9 million under the 2026 cap. By extending McKinney, they could further reduce his cap hit for next year.

McKinney's impact on the Packers defense is significant, and he has also become a crucial leader for the team. At just 27 years old, McKinney has a few more years left before he becomes a free agent. His adjusted annual value (AAV) of $16.75 million is currently seventh in the NFL, with Derwin James leading the market at $25.2 million.

Even if Green Bay made McKinney the highest-paid safety, they could lower his 2027 cap hit significantly due to the structure of extensions. If Green Bay believes McKinney's performance will remain strong in his age 29 and 30 seasons, it might be wise to extend him early for more flexibility. However, they may want to consider extending other defensive backs like Evan Williams and Javon Bullard next offseason before committing resources to the safety position.

McKinney appears to be the kind of player Green Bay would be willing to give a third contract to as one of the team's key players.