Major upgrades at safety position spark Packers' surge in takeaways

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The position that ranked among the Green Bay Packers’ biggest weaknesses last year has developed into a major strength.

Green Bay underwent an offseason overhaul at safety by signing Xavier McKinney from the New York Giants and drafting Javon Bullard in the second round and Evan Williams in the fourth round. Their playmaking ability has helped the Packers (4-2) produce a league-high 17 takeaways heading into their Sunday matchup with the AFC South-leading Houston Texans (5-1).

McKinney wasted no time making an impact with his new team, as he intercepted a pass in each of Green Bay’s first five games. Now the two rookies are making their presence felt as well, something McKinney anticipated right away.

“They were always around the ball,” McKinney said. “From the start that they got here, they were making plays, whether that was punchouts, whether that was interceptions, whether that was big hits. You always knew no matter the timing of it, they were able to make a big play for us. I knew we had something special in training camp when I saw that.”

Now everyone else is seeing it as well.

Pro Football Focus has Williams and McKinney as the two highest-graded safeties in the league. Bullard’s versatility — he can play safety or nickel back — enables all three of them to be on the field at the same time.

“We got some of these young guys who give us the versatility to move people around and get creative,” defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said. “As you start to see each week, if you turn us on and really watch us, there’s something a little bit new every single week and it’s kind of talked about. We’ve got to build and build and build and find what we’re good at, who’s good at what and really start to roll. I don’t think we’re there yet.”

McKinney and Williams already have combined for six interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Last year, the three Packers safeties who played the most (Darnell Savage, Jonathan Owens and Rudy Ford) combined for only two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble throughout the regular season. Savage also had a pick-6 in the Packers’ playoff victory at Dallas.

Savage is now with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Owens is with the Chicago Bears. Ford was released by the Carolina Panthers before the season.

Green Bay allowed those players to leave while agreeing to terms on a four-year, $68 million contract with McKinney, who had spent his first four seasons with the New York Giants. McKinney has responded by collecting an NFL-leading five interceptions.

He's a major reason why the Packers already have nearly matched their 2023 season total of 18 takeaways.

“I want to be the best version of me and I want to be as great as I can be,” McKinney said. “I want to be ultimately one of the best to ever do it.”

As his playing time has increased, Williams also has shown a knack for delivering big plays.

Williams played at Fresno State from 2019-22 before finishing his college career at Oregon. In his second pro game, Williams picked off a Hail Mary pass to clinch the Packers’ 16-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. He punched a ball away from Arizona’s Greg Dortch on Sunday to force a fumble that Jaire Alexander recovered.

“We’re just being a little more ball conscious and getting more shots on the ball, and good things happen,” Williams said after the Packers’ 34-13 victory over the Cardinals.

Bullard doesn’t have any takeaways yet, but he has started all six of Green Bay’s games and ranks third on the team with 34 tackles as the former Georgia safety adapts to the NFL game.

“On the negative side, I struggle with patience,” Bullard said. “So I’ve got to be better with that. Patience is everything, man. So I’ve got to be less anxious about things and I’ve got be more patient. As far as on the positive side, (I’m) just being a sponge. Soaking up all the knowledge of these guys in this locker room.”

That starts with McKinney, who has guided these rookies while playing as well as just about any defensive player in the league. McKinney never reached a Pro Bowl in his four seasons with the Giants but certainly seems on track to accomplish that with the way he’s performed so far this year.

But he has his sights set much higher than that.

“My goal has always been to get a gold jacket,” McKinney said. “That mission, it won’t change and it won’t be any different until I’m obviously able to get there. I know it’s going to take a lot of work to get there, but I’m willing to do that, and we’ll see where it goes.”

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Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson, right, is pushed out of bounce by Green Bay Packers safety Javon Bullard during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Green Bay Packers safety Evan Williams walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in Green Bay. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

Green Bay Packers cornerback Evan Williams (33) celebrates with safety Javon Bullard (20) after forcing an incompletion against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Green Bay Packers players celebrate an interception by safety Xavier McKinney (29) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney (29) intercepts the ball during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Major upgrades at safety position spark Packers' surge in takeaways

Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney (29) attempts to intercept a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Major upgrades at safety position spark Packers' surge in takeaways

A law enforcement investigation report on a deadly shooting at a small-town Iowa high school in January reveals new details of the shooting, including that the teenage shooter attempted to livestream his actions.

The town of Perry, located about 40 miles (65 kilometers) northwest of Des Moines, was rocked when 17-year-old Perry High School student Dylan Butler opened fire on students and staff before the start of classes on Jan. 4, the first day of school following the winter break. Butler took his own life with a single gunshot minutes after he began shooting.

The shooting occurred in the school's commons area, where about 50 students and staff had gathered for breakfast before classes. According to the report, Butler arrived at the school at 7:12 a.m. with a shotgun, revolver, knife and homemade explosive device concealed on him and immediately went to a bathroom near the commons area. While in the restroom, Butler posted on social media and began livestreaming, the report said without detailing the nature of the posts or livestreaming content.

He emerged 23 minutes later wielding the shotgun and began firing. Within the first 24 seconds, Butler fatally shot 11-year-old sixth-grader Ahmir Jolliff and wounded four other students and Perry High School Principal Dan Marburger, the report said.

The report, written by the Dallas County Attorney’s Office and a summation of investigations by several agencies, carries a warning to readers of the disturbing details in it. The report also confirms the heroic actions of Marburger and others to intervene, detailing how the principal and Assistant Principal Brad Snowgren moved towards the source of the gunfire when it began.

Snowgren triggered an alarm informing first responders of an active shooting at the school 10 seconds after the first shot was fired and 25 seconds before the first 911 call, the report said. The first police officer entered the school in less than two minutes. Officials had initially reported that law enforcement entered the school in “less than seven minutes.”

The report says Marburger, who was wounded seconds into the shooting, had a chance to escape the building but remained inside and pleaded with Butler to stop shooting. More than a minute later, the wounded Marburger again confronted Butler. Butler responded by shooting and critically injuring Marburger, who then left through an exit. Marburger died days later at a Des Moines hospital from his injuries.

Dallas County Attorney Jeannine Ritchie said her office has concluded Butler acted alone and the investigation found no evidence that anyone had specific knowledge of Butler’s plans or helped him in the shooting. Investigators also have not determined how or where Butler got the shotgun he used, but said evidence suggests it came from “outside his home and was taken without the owner’s permission or knowledge.”

“The evidence suggests his actions that morning were indiscriminate and driven by a desire to commit suicide with the hostile intent of taking others with him,” Ritchie wrote.

While school staff had frequent interactions with Butler, according to the report, they had no reports regarding Butler’s intentions on the day of the shooting. Butler was not the subject of any prior law enforcement investigations, threat assessments or intelligence information, the report said.

FILE - Police respond to a shooting at Perry High School in Perry, Iowa, Jan. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

FILE - Local residents pray during a candlelight vigil following a shooting at Perry High School, Jan. 4, 2024, in Perry, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

FILE - A rock is painted to memorialize Perry High School shooting victim Ahmir Jolliff at the school, Jan. 6, 2024, in Perry, Iowa. (Lily Smith/The Des Moines Register via AP, File)