McKinney Agrees to Restructure Contract, Converting Salary into Signing Bonus to Free Up Cap Space

March 12, 2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Xavier McKinney and the Green Bay Packers are tweaking the books. The All-Pro safety has agreed to restructure his four-year, $67 million contract, converting a chunk of his 2025 base salary into a signing bonus to free up salary cap space, the team confirmed on March 12, 2025. The move gives GM Brian Gutekunst some breathing room as free agency heats up.

McKinney, who signed with Green Bay in March 2024, was set to earn $11.6 million in base salary for 2025, with a cap hit of $17.85 million. By converting $10 million of that salary into a signing bonus—prorated over the remaining three years (2025-2027)—the Packers slash his 2025 cap hit by about $6.67 million, dropping it to roughly $11.18 million. The trade-off? His cap hits in 2026 and 2027 each rise by $3.33 million, pushing future costs down the road.

Fresh off a stellar 2024 season—88 tackles, 8 interceptions, and a First-Team All-Pro nod—McKinney’s restructure is a team-friendly nod to help the Packers stay competitive. With $46 million in cap space already, this bumps them closer to $53 million, per Over The Cap, giving Gutekunst ammo to chase free agents or extend young stars like Quay Walker or Christian Watson, both due for new deals after 2025.

“It’s about winning,” McKinney said via the team’s site. “I’m good with whatever keeps us in the fight.” The 26-year-old’s deal still runs through 2027, with a $8.5 million roster bonus due March 14, 2025, intact. Fans see it as a win-win: more cap flexibility now, banking on McKinney’s prime years ahead.

The NFC North is a gauntlet—Lions added Chase Young, Vikings kept Byron Murphy Jr.—and Green Bay’s been quiet beyond re-signing Rasul Douglas. This move signals they’re not done yet. Will it spark a bigger splash? Packers Nation’s watching.