After the Green Bay Packers signed safety Xavier McKinney to a four-year, $68 million contract last offseason, he immediately became one of the best players on Jeff Hafley’s defense.
But could a safety of his caliber be moved for a first‑round draft pick?
Bill Barnwell of ESPN thinks so. In his July 30 article, Barnwell examined the trade value of every team’s best player(s), and he listed McKinney as someone who could net a first-round pick in a trade. The Packers clearly don’t want to trade their All-Pro safety; this is just about his perceived market value.
But netting a first-rounder in exchange for a safety is rare business in the NFL. Is Barnwell a tad crazy here? Let’s discuss.
McKinney Had a Career-Best Season in 2024
Put simply, McKinney had a historic start with Green Bay last year. He snagged interceptions in each of his first five games — something that hasn’t happened since the AFL–NFL merger.
He finished with eight interceptions, which ranked second in the NFL, also setting a franchise record for picks in a single season for Green Bay. McKinney also had 88 tackles (60 solo, two for loss), a sack and 11 pass breakups.
His performance earned him first-team All-Pro honors and his first Pro Bowl nod. Mid‑season, he was also awarded NFC Defensive Player of the Month for October, highlighting his dominant impact early in the season.
Now heading into Year 2 with Green Bay, McKinney is likely just getting started.
Could the Green Bay Packers Really Get a 1st Round Pick in a Trade for Xavier McKinney?
Given McKinney’s elite production and his importance to their defense, any trade would likely require an exceptional return from the Packers’ perspective.
In theory, a trade could be realistic if a contender in need of an elite safety was willing to part with a first-rounder. That team would have to really value McKinney in order to spend that much on him, though. And in today’s NFL, safeties simply don’t get traded for first-round picks.
Even with trades involving more high‑profile safeties, compensation in the form of a full first‑round pick just doesn’t happen. Most safety trades involve mid- to late-round swaps or player‑plus‑mid-round packages. For example, in 2023 the Philadelphia Eagles acquired All‑Pro safety Kevin Byard from the Titans, but sent only safety Terrell Edmunds and two late-round picks back in exchange for him.
A more recent—and higher threshold—comparative move came in early 2025, when veteran safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was traded from the Eagles to the Texans in exchange for Kenyon Green—a former first‑round offensive lineman—and a 2026 fifth-rounder.
If Barnwell is correct and McKinney’s value really would be a first‑rounder — and we think that’s a definite stretch — it could present an interesting dilemma for the Packers. Given his All‑Pro status, playmaking abilities and age (he turns 27 in early August), there’s no doubt some teams would be interested. Netting a future first-rounder is always nice.
Considering his fit in their scheme, any trade package would need to be outstanding, and it’s very likely not something the Packers would entertain. He’s already a proven player, whereas any future draft picks would be rolls of the dice. Still, it’s always nice when the free agents you sign become more valuable with time, and that’s certainly been the case with McKinney.
