The New York Giants made a major splash in free agency, signing former Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland to a three-year, $45 million deal. The move comes after ex-Giants safety Xavier McKinney left last offseason in search of a bigger payday with the Green Bay Packers. Apparently, though, he’s still got his eyes on Big Blue from afar.
Something tells me watching cheese curds fry doesn’t quite compare to the hustle and bustle of New York. After news broke of Holland’s $45 million deal, McKinney took to X with an NSFW post that definitely didn’t go unnoticed, writing:
"You thought last season was impressive ... okay bet watch this , you ain't seen s*** yet."
Tell me you're jealous without telling me you're jealous.
Jevon Holland's new Giants contract catches the eye of Xavier McKinney
It’s no secret McKinney didn’t leave the Giants on the best terms. The then-25-year-old was reportedly insulted by New York’s lack of an offer and opted to cash in during free agency. And to be fair, he did pretty well for himself. The Packers rewarded him with a four-year, $67 million contract, giving him an AAV (average annual value) of $16.75 million.
To his credit, McKinney backed it up. He posted a career-high eight interceptions, earned First-Team All-Pro honors, and made his first Pro Bowl. Not too shabby.
But you’d think that after securing the bag and thriving in Green Bay, he’d have moved on by now. Apparently not. It seems like Holland’s deal struck a nerve, and now McKinney’s setting expectations for next season that he might very much struggle to meet.
Don’t get me wrong—McKinney was fantastic last year. His eight interceptions ranked second in the NFL, trailing only Detroit’s Kerby Joseph (nine). But let’s not pretend he’s been that guy his entire career. Before last season, he had zero Pro Bowls, zero All-Pro nods, and a resume that didn’t exactly scream "reset the safety market." He's battled injuries and inconsistencies while with the Giants, so it's not like he's just been this perfect player throughout his career.
It’s easy to pile on Giants general manager Joe Schoen for his seemingly endless mistakes, but not wanting to commit four years and $67 million to a player who hadn’t proven himself at an elite level wasn’t all that crazy. Hindsight makes it look terrible, sure, but at the time, it wasn't completely preposterous.
The Giants quickly moved on, drafting Tyler Nubin from Minnesota in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Nubin had a strong rookie year and looks like a long-term cornerstone in New York’s secondary. Now, with Holland in the mix, the McKinney-sized hole in the Giants’ defense is looking a whole lot smaller. That's bound to bruise some egos.
After all, if McKinney was really over the Giants, he wouldn’t still be watching their every move. You hate to see it.