The NFC North is stacked with defensive talent — but when it comes to the safety position, the debate is heating up.
In the latest edition of On SI’s All-NFC North Team, beat writers from across the division ranked the top safeties. While Green Bay’s big free-agent splash Xavier McKinney earned first-team honors, it wasn’t a unanimous pick — and Detroit Lions standout Kerby Joseph actually finished ahead of him in the voting.
Let’s break it down: Joseph earned six points, thanks to two first-place votes and two second-place votes. McKinney? He received two first-place votes too, but also two third-place selections, putting him just behind Joseph with eight points total. That speaks volumes about how respected Joseph has become in just a short time.
In fact, the numbers back it up. A third-round pick in 2022, Joseph has quickly developed into a playmaking machine. He notched four interceptions in each of his first two seasons and led the entire NFL in interceptions last year. His tackling has also improved significantly, dropping from a 15% missed-tackle rate in 2023 to just 6.3% in 2024. That growth earned him a well-deserved four-year extension, making him the highest-paid safety in the league.
As Lions On SI’s John Maakaron put it:
> “It’s well-earned, as he has shown plenty of growth in his short time in Detroit.”
But let’s not discount McKinney’s impact either. After signing a massive four-year, $67 million deal with Green Bay, he immediately transformed their secondary. He picked off eight passes in 2023 — the most by a Packers defender since Charles Woodson in 2009 — and helped elevate Green Bay’s defense from near the bottom in takeaways and interceptions to top five in both categories.
Not only that, McKinney was the leader of a young safety room that included three rookies, serving as a virtual on-field coach and extension of defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. His play earned him first-team All-Pro honors — and respect from across the league.
Still, Joseph’s ball-hawking instincts and versatility can’t be ignored. And don’t forget about rising star Brian Branch, also of Detroit, who ranked third in the voting. Branch played all over the field — deep safety, box, slot — and delivered 109 tackles, four picks, and a forced fumble in a hybrid role that’s quickly becoming vital to modern NFL defenses.
The rest of the pack? Minnesota’s Josh Metellus and Chicago’s Kevin Byard rounded out the top five. Veteran Harrison Smith, once a perennial All-Pro, didn’t crack most ballots.
So who’s really the best safety in the NFC North? If you go by pure accolades, McKinney has the edge. If you look at production, growth, and impact — especially when it comes to flipping the field — it’s hard to bet against Kerby Joseph.
The good news for Lions fans? With both Joseph and Branch patrolling the back end, Detroit’s secondary looks locked and loaded for years to come.
Xavier McKinney Tops NFC North Safety List — But Kerby Joseph Still Reigns Supreme
