The Green Bay Packers went 11-6 last season, sweeping the NFC West and the AFC South along the way.
Overall, though, no one in the building was happy.
The Packers failed to build on their terrific finish to the 2023 campaign, settled for the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoffs, and lost a Wild Card game to eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia.
Afterwards, general manager Brian Gutekunst turned up the heat on everybody in the building.
“We need to continue to ramp up our sense of urgency,” Gutekunst said. “I think it’s time we started competing for championships.”
Those are fair expectations.
The Packers return 20 of 22 starters, and appear to have upgraded the roster via free agency and the draft. With several third and fourth year players trending upward, Green Bay should be poised to make a move.
“I think they’re ready,” Gutekunst said.
Now, it’s time for the Packers to prove their G.M. right.
Green Bay’s first training camp practice is July 23. Between now and then I will count down the ‘30 Most Important Packers’ heading into the 2025 campaign.
At No. 12 is cornerback Keisean Nixon.
No. 12
Keisean Nixon, CB
Last season
Nixon played all 17 games and made 15 starts, posting career-highs in tackles (88), tackles for loss (eight) and sacks (three). He also had a team-leading three forced fumbles and posted career bests in quarterback hits (six) and passes defensed (seven).
Nixon was the only defensive back in football and one of just five players to have three-plus sacks, three-plus forced fumbles and an interception.
Nixon played 74.7% of the snaps in Weeks 1-3 as Green Bay’s primary nickel back. But when Eric Stokes struggled outside, and Jaire Alexander broke down physically, Nixon moved outside and performed well. In fact, in 11 of the Packers’ final 14 games, Nixon played at least 97% of the snaps.
Nixon’s overall grade from Pro Football Focus was 64.5, which ranked 87th out of 222 corners in the NFL. His best work came when rushing the passer, where his 92.7 grade ranked fourth.
Nixon’s mediocre coverage grade of 60.7 ranked 116th out of 222 corners. And opposing quarterbacks had a 99.7 passer rating throwing at Nixon.
Nixon also averaged 29.3 yards on his 18 kickoff returns and 12.0 yards on his four punt returns. His fumble on the opening kickoff of Green Bay’s Wild Card playoff loss to Philadelphia was a killer, though, leading to a quick Eagles’ touchdown and putting the Packers in a hole all game.
Career to date
Nixon spent the first three years of his career with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders, where he was a reserve corner and averaged just 14.0 yards on his six kickoff returns.
Nixon came to Green Bay in 2022, but he didn’t get a chance to start returning kicks until Week 6 when the Packers finally gave up on former third round draft choice Amari Rodgers.
Nixon then made the most of his opportunities, ranking first in the league with an average of 28.8 yards per return. Nixon also led the league in kickoff returns of 50-plus yards (five) and 30-plus yards (11), and had a league-leading 1,009 yards on kickoff returns.
Nixon became the Packers’ slot corner in 2023, but allowed completions on a whopping 78.7% of passes thrown his way. Opposing quarterbacks also had a passer rating of 101.1 with Nixon in coverage, and he finished with the same number of penalties (five) as passes defensed.
Nixon did have another big season as a returner in 2023, when he led the NFL with 782 yards on kickoff returns — 271 more than runner-up Xavier Gipson of the New York Jets. Nixon also led all qualified kickoff returners with a 26.1-yard average.
That helped Nixon become just the fourth player to earn first-team All-Pro honors from The Associated Press at kick returner in back-to-back years (2022-23), joining Mel Gray (1990-91), Devin Hester (2006-07) and Cordarrelle Patterson (2019-20).
“I’m one of a kind,” Nixon said after receiving the honors.
Outlook
Nixon views himself as a CB1.
He’s not, and the cold truth is Green Bay may not have one.
Nixon has developed into a serviceable starter, though. And with depth at the position an issue, Nixon figures to log a heavy workload once again.
Nixon’s role in the return game is a bit more fuzzy.
When the 2024 season ended, Nixon said: “I want to be CB1. CB1 is not doing kick returns. That's just what it is.”
When told of those remarks, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said: “Not sure why he said what he said.”
During Green Bay’s OTAs last month, Nixon backed off that statement — somewhat.
“I’m open to it,” Nixon said of returning kicks. “I’m always going to do what the team needs. Also, just me knowing who I am as a person. If the game’s on the line, I’m gonna want the ball anyways.
“That’s a comment I probably could’ve kept to myself, for sure, but it is what it is. I meant what I said but I’m also a team player and if the coach and the team need me to do something, I’m gonna do it for sure.”
They Said It …
“I thought when we moved Keisean to the outside and he consistently played there, I thought he played really, really well. Not only in coverage but as a tackler as well and run game. Keisean being able to kind of solidify us as an outside corner where he had always played inside for the most part, most of his career, I think he certainly has proved that he can play out there at a high level.” — Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst on Nixon
“I was proud of Keisean last year. Onboarding with him the first year and getting to know him as a man, as a father, and he did a really good job of being able to be inside and outside. Very impressed with his maturity, his leadership, and he's taken that next step and I think the sky's the limit for him.” — Packers passing game coordinator Derrick Ansley on Nixon
“I don’t feel like I’m an old guy yet. I’m in Year 7 but my body feels like I’m on Year 4. Because with the Raiders, I don’t feel like I was really on the team, for real. I was just making money, I guess. It’s just what it was. When I got here, I feel like I was a rookie. My first year here was Year 4, but it don’t change nothing. I’m here to work and show I am who I am and what I can do outside. I showed that last year and just complete my resume. Everything they’ve asked me to do, I did it at a high level.” — Nixon on his career path
THE TOP 30
• No. 30 — RB MarShawn Lloyd
• No. 29 — WR Dontayvion Wicks
• No. 28 — S Javon Bullard
• No. 27 — WR Savion Williams
• No. 26 — LB Isaiah McDuffie
• No. 25 — OL Jordan Morgan
• No. 24 — WR Matthew Golden
• No. 23 — CB Carrington Valentine
• No. 22 — WR Romeo Doubs
• No. 21 — QB Malik Willis
• N0. 20 — DE Lukas Van Ness
• No. 19 — RG Sean Rhyan
• No. 18 — LT Rasheed Walker
• No. 17 — DT Devonte Wyatt
• No. 16 — S Evan Williams
• No. 15 — CB Nate Hobbs
• No. 14 — LB Quay Walker
• No. 13 — OL Aaron Banks