As New York Giants safety Xavier McKinney enters year three, expectations will be sky-high. After playing in just six games as a rookie, McKinney played in all 17 last year. Each week, he played at a high level, continuing to improve with every snap.
This Giants defense will look vastly different this upcoming year. From veterans such as James Bradberry departing to elite rookies like Kayvon Thibodeaux joining the group, the expectations will be all over the place for this unit. The hiring of defensive coordinator Wink Martindale will only highlight many of these new changes.
When examining McKinney’s Year 2, you quickly realize how well he performed. If the Giants hadn’t struggled as they did, his performance may have been even more recognized. He finished the season with 93 total tackles, 10 passes defended, and five interceptions. He finished the season tied for fourth in interceptions. He also recorded a PFF defensive grade of 75.4 and a coverage grade of 78.4.
As McKinney will look to build on his success in 2022, he could become one of the game’s top safeties if all goes to plan. But what are the expectations for him in 2022? Just how good can he become?
Here are 3 ambitious expectations for Xavier McKinney in 2022
3. Lead the League in Interceptions
As already noted, McKinney finished tied for the fourth-most interceptions in the NFL last season with five. The league leader, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs, finished with 11. Diggs’ season was one for the ages, as he was just three interceptions away from tying the NFL record for most in a season. The likelihood of him repeating this performance, while possible, is very low.
The player with the second-most in the NFL last season was veteran cornerback J.C. Jackson. He finished the year with eight, a number that is much more obtainable than the 11 hauled in by Diggs.
With the departure of both Logan Ryan and Bradberry, and an overall potentially weaker secondary this season, the Giants may be tested often in the passing game. Teams may be willing to push the ball down the field in a way that they didn’t last year. This alone could lead to far more opportunities for McKinney.
McKinney finished the season with the second-most pass breakups on the Giants last season with 10. If he is able to convert even half of those into interceptions, he could also find himself atop the leaderboard. Just like last season, the opportunities will be there for McKinney to make plays. He’ll have the most chances of his career up to this point.
2. Become the Leader of the Defense
With the departure of veterans James Bradberry and Logan Ryan, the Giants’ defense has lost two of its most prominent leaders. Cornerback Adoree’ Jackson has stepped up to fill that role, but there’s no reason to think that McKinney can’t do the same.
While he is just 22 years old, he will be entering Year 3 on a fairly young team. There is also a case to be made that he is one of, if not the best player on this defense. It is also worth noting that the Giants addressed the defense heavily in this year’s draft, which could be an indication that some of the older players could be on their way out in the near future. McKinney stepping into a leadership role could help any potential transition on this defensive unit.
When looking at many of the NFL’s top defenses, they are headlined by an explosive safety. The Los Angeles Chargers and Derwin James, the Denver Broncos and Justin Simmons, and Jessie Bates and the Cincinnati Bengals are just a few that come to mind. If McKinney can join the ranks of players like these and become the voice of this defense, he will be fully viewed as the leader of this unit.
1. Make the Pro Bowl
A trip to the Pro Bowl would prove that everything went to plan for McKinney from a production standpoint. While the NFC is loaded with talent at the safety position, there’s no reason to think that McKinney can’t be just as good as the biggest names.
McKinney has had a fairly short career up to this point. He has started 20 career games and has played in just 23. At this time, he has already proven to be one of the most exciting young defenders in the league. He has recorded 118 total tackles, 11 passes defended, and six interceptions in this stretch. A season like he had in 2021 could be just enough for him to earn a nod to the game.
Last season, the safeties representing the NFC in the Pro Bowl were Quandre Diggs, Antoine Winfield Jr, Budda Baker, and Harrison Smith. McKinney could find himself on par with any of those four players and could be playing right alongside them in this game.
For a player who will be 23 years old when the season starts, a trip to this game would show the leap that McKinney was able to take. Going from an underrated player in the Giants secondary to one of the game’s premier safeties would be a huge, but possible, jump for him.
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