Xavier McKinney claimed he was listening to rap music and was not hinting at joining the Eagles, Seahawks or any other team named after a bird.
The soon-to-be free agent safety tweeted Wednesday, “I’m starting to see this life from a bird’s perspective…” which caught the attention of fan bases across the NFL.
Was that a hint that he was preparing to leave the Giants?
“I wasn’t thinking anything when I tweeted.” McKinney said Thursday on YouTube’s “Up & Adams Show.”
“I was listening to a song [by Nipsey Hussle] And literally tweeted it. Then I started seeing everyone commenting different things about this team, this team, this team. I’m like, “That wasn’t the case.” But I think everyone takes it as they see fit. ”
For that matter, can McKinney imagine himself playing for the Eagles, who need a safety, especially since he said he’s “trying to stay as open as possible”?
“I just want to say that I’m important to the Giants right now,” McKinney said after a long pause. “That’s where I want to be. If something isn’t achievable, you have to weigh your other options and see if there are other situations that are best for you.”
McKinney, 24, is the youngest top option in a suddenly crowded safety market that also includes former All-Pros Justin Simmons, Jamal Adams and Jordan Poyer.
“I believe I’m the best out of these guys,” McKinney said. “I think there’s a lot that I can do in terms of my production, the way I play, my coverage, my tackling, my play deep down the field. There aren’t a lot of safeties like me. I think my play showed that. Masu.”
McKinnie expressed gratitude that the Giants did not place the transfer tag on him before Tuesday’s deadline. As such, the Giants may have limited his free agent market by scaring off interested teams who doubted McKinney would accept offers to sign elsewhere.
A source told The Post’s Paul Schwartz that the decision not to stick with the one-year, $13.8 million bid to give McKinney the right of first refusal was an act of good faith to get the deal done. .
“I really didn’t know that the plan was so far from what they wanted to do,” McKinney said. “I know it could have happened. I’m kind of thankful it didn’t happen.”
The five highest-paid safeties in the league all make at least $16 million a year. Three of them are represented by David Mulugeta, who also represents Mr McKinney.
There appears to be no incentive for McKinnie to agree to a deal before Monday, when free agency opens and other teams could dictate his value.
“I want to be a Giant, but at the end of the day, the money has to make sense and everything else has to make sense,” McKinney said. “We’ve been talking and trying to work it out as best we can. I hope that happens, but I can only control what I can control.”
What is his level of confidence that he will return?
“If I knew, I wouldn’t be afraid to say it,” McKinney said.
McKinney is a two-time homegrown captain who ranked fourth among safeties last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Last season, he played every snap, rotating between free safety, strong safety, man-to-man coverage and blitzing.
He’s disappointed that so many top defensive backs have been released.
“It’s kind of mind-boggling to see how the league is changing, especially as long as it’s been a transit league,” McKinney said. “We need a star safety. We need someone who can cover tight ends and receivers.”
