The Packers debuted a new pair of safeties in their 34-29 loss to the Eagles in Brazil, and the duo thrived in unfamiliar territory.
Upon the departure of 2023 starting safeties Darnell Savage and Jonathan Owens, with both signing elsewhere in free agency, the Packers were left with massive holes to fill in their secondary.
The team made a splash early in free agency, signing former Giants second-round pick Xavier McKinney to a massive four-year, $67M deal. It then addressed the safety vacancy opposite of McKinney through the draft, selecting Georgia standout Javon Bullard with the latter of its two second-round picks.
The duo of McKinney and Bullard was presented with a tough task in their first game in a new system, matching up against a star-studded Eagles offense led by two-time Pro Bowl QB Jalen Hurts.
On the third play of the Eagles’ opening drive, McKinney jumped an under-thrown pass intended for DeVonta Smith and returned it 17 yards inside the Eagles 20. McKinney’s 10th career interception led to a Brayden Narveson field goal for the game’s first points.