2. Safety Xavier McKinney
The player the G-Men moved on from which may hurt the most for many Giants fans was safety Xavier McKinney. After four seasons with Big Blue, the former second-round pick quickly became a fan favorite in New York. McKinney earned a well-deserved four-year, $68 million contract with the Green Bay Packers this offseason. While Giants Nation will miss McKinney, Schoen and the Giants front office may have made up for losing the star defensive back in the NFL Draft.
The Giants have arguably added the best safety in this year's NFL Draft class. Big Blue selected Minnesota safety Tyler Nubin with the No. 47 overall pick, which the Seattle Seahawks dealt to the team in exchange for Leonard Williams last season. Nubin had a successful collegiate career with Minnesota, as he now holds the program record for career interceptions with 13 and earned first-team All-Big Ten and first-team All-American honors at the end of last season. Nubin will immediately impact the Giants in 2024, as he is expected to start.
The Giants selected Tyler Nubin in the second round of the NFL Draft to start at safety. Can he also emerge as a team leader early in his career?
— Paul Schwartz (@NYPost_Schwartz) May 12, 2024
“You know, all points say yes. The signs lead to yes.” https://t.co/2zBmY7GRNC
The Giants also added veteran Jalen Mills in free agency, who can provide depth at safety and CB. The G-Men would have had to pay McKinney a lot to stay in New York. Had they broken the bank on him, or the No. 1 guy on this list, trading for Burns would not have been an option.