First up is Saquon Barkley.
Now, Xavier McKinney.
The Giants lost a premier player on Monday, the first day of NFL free agency.
Shortly after Barkley agreed to a three-year deal to play in Philadelphia, safety Xavier McKinney left for the Packers, receiving a four-year deal worth $68 million, according to reports.
The Giants had strong interest in bringing McKinney back, but his average annual salary of $17 million was higher than they had hoped.
McKinney is currently one of the top five highest-paid safeties in the NFL.
This means players who never took the field for the Giants in 2023 will take their snaps elsewhere.
The Giants want to re-sign McKinney and believe they are in good standing with McKinney, as both sides agreed not to transfer the transfer tag on him as a show of good faith when they were discussing a new contract. was.
The Giants knew they were unlikely to keep McKinney off the open market, but believed he would have a chance to match any offer he received.
NFL legal tampering period has arrived. Saquon Barkley and Kirk Cousins are on the move. Follow The Post for live updates as 2024 NFL free agency begins.
McKinney, 24, is a second-round pick out of Alabama in the 2020 NFL Draft and is a rising player who left a lot to be desired for the Giants.
This past season, playing in a contract year, was McKinney’s best season. He played every down on defense, matching linebacker Bobby Okereke with 1,128 snaps, and finished with a career-high 116 tackles.
McKinney’s three interceptions were his most since 2021, when he had five interceptions.
McKinney had some blips. He injured his left hand in an all-terrain vehicle accident while on vacation during the 2022 bye week and missed seven games that season. The Giants could have docked money from McKinney, but they didn’t.
Last season, McKinney criticized the defensive coaching staff for poor communication, leading defensive coordinator Wink Martindale to fire back at McKinney and distract him.
McKinney made two things clear near the end of the season and after the season. He wanted to stay with the Giants, but he also wanted to be paid like a premier safety.
These two desires were incompatible. The Giants wanted to keep McKinney, but don’t see the safety position as a place to invest big money.
Jason Pinnock returns as the Giants’ starting safety. They may consider elevating Dane Belton, who is entering his third NFL season, into the starting lineup.
Belton has played in 32 games over the past two years, starting seven of them, and has shown his nose for the ball with four career interceptions. There are also several veteran safeties available for contract.
