The Packers Have the Best Safety Room In the NFL

Green Bay Packers The Packers Have the Best Safety Room In the NFL Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images By Felipe Reis - November 10, 2026 I don’t think we talk enough about how Brian Gutekunst completely revamped the Green Bay Packers’ safety room. In short order, he turned it from one of the worst in the NFL into the best . A few years ago, the Packers had Darnell Savage , Rudy Ford , and Jonathan Owens back there. It was arguably the weakest position group on the defense. Now, they’ve got absolute dawgs. Xavier McKinney has earned All-Pro honors in each of his first two seasons in Green Bay. Evan Williams would probably be a First-Team All-Pro if the season ended today. Meanwhile, Javon Bullard has made significant strides in coverage since his rookie season in 2024. Against the New England Patriots on Sunday, the Packers showed once again why they deserve to be in the conversation for the best safety group in football. Drake Maye entered Week 9 leading the NFL in EPA per dropback since the start of October. Green Bay picked him off three times anyway, with McKinney accounting for two. Through nine games, McKinney and Williams have combined for eight interceptions. I also want to highlight the play McKinney made to jump Hunter Henry ‘s route for his second interception. The anticipation and recognition were outstanding. It’s exactly the kind of playmaking ability that has made him such an impactful safety. That’s now five interceptions for Packers safety Xavier McKinney, who has proven to be a stellar free agent signing from 2024. pic.twitter.com/BF0ocJywxv — Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) November 8, 2026 There was some discourse about the 2024 First-Team All-Pro being washed after a relatively quiet 2025 season, but those conversations never really made much sense to me. It’s great to see the tape and the stat sheet backing up what many of us already knew: He’s still one of the best safeties in football. Williams is coming off being named NFC Defensive Player of the Month for October, and he has continued to make an impact in November. He came away with an interception of his own against the Patriots, doing a great job staying focused near the sideline, tracking the deflection, and securing the ball before going out of bounds. Got the pick. Kept his feet in. Evan Williams with an unbelievable play 🔥 GBvsNE on FOX/FOX One Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/uPHHTCAI4r — NFL (@NFL) November 8, 2026 Williams has arguably played with more confidence than anyone on this entire defense. He’s been flying all over the field; it doesn’t matter whether he’s rushing the passer, playing near the line of scrimmage, or dropping back into coverage. He plays with the same aggression and conviction in every role, and more often than not, he delivers at a high level. He’s become such a versatile and reliable piece of this defense. Evan Williams is a monster. I love this dude. pic.twitter.com/sPbLAtpKqZ — 🇺🇸AROX (@AmericaRunsOnX) November 8, 2026 Bullard hasn’t received nearly as much attention as Williams and McKinney, but he’s quietly developed into one of the best nickel defensive backs in football. He’s been a consistently important piece of this secondary, even if his contributions haven’t generated the same headlines. Javon Bullard has quietly been one of the best nickels in football this year pic.twitter.com/qsYC7sWV7j — Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) October 15, 2026 It’s entirely plausible that McKinney and Williams could be named First-Team All-Pro this year, especially considering Williams has been the best safety in football this season. “We’re trying to be,” Williams said following Green Bay’s 45-27 win over New England when asked about him and McKinney being the best safety duo in the NFL. “That’s something we say every day. We’re trying to be the best in the world, the best in the universe, the best in the galaxy.” When you put all these guys together, Green Bay has the best safety room in the league, and right now, there’s a pretty significant gap between them and everyone else. Felipe Reis Felipe Reis covers the Green Bay Packers for Zone Coverage and CheeseheadTV. He has a Journalism degree from Estácio in Brazil and shares his Packers analysis on Twitter at @Aceti_Felipe. He lives in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro. All Articles