GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - As the offseason calendar nears its end for the Packers, Keisean Nixon took a moment to amend some of his comments from the end of the 2024 season.
In the aftermath of the team’s loss to the Eagles in the Wild Card round, Nixon told reporters, “I want to be CB1. CB1 is not doing kick returns. That’s just what it is.”
But when meeting with the media during the Packers voluntary OTAs on Tuesday, Nixon’s message was much different.
“I was kind of frustrated when the season was over,” Nixon said. “It’s value always, especially when it comes to me being who I am when doing it (returning kicks). Of course I’m open to it. I’m always gonna do what the team needs. Also, just me knowing who I am as a person, if the game is on the line, I’m gonna want the ball anyways. that’s just probably a comment I could have kept to myself for real. It is what it is. I said it. I meant what I said, but I’m also a team player and if the coaches and the team need me to do something, I’ll do it for sure.”
As the Packers await clarity on Jaire Alexander’s future with the team, it appears Nixon is in line to start at outside cornerback this season after spending the majority of his time defensively at that position last year. Head coach Matt LaFleur is eager to see Nixon elevate his game to the next level.
“I just think with every player it’s the consistency at which you perform,” LaFleur said. “Obviously he’s gone out there and we’ve seen him play at a high level. It’s just doing that every down, not taking a play (off) - not that he does take plays off, so I don’t want to make it sound like that - but just being so dialed in on every play. That’s the challenge I think for every player. To his credit, he’s shown a lot of versatility in terms of how we’ve used him in the past, switching from inside to outside, and I think he did a lot of great things last year primarily playing on the outside.”
“Everything I’ve done that they asked me to do, I did at a high level,” Nixon said. “Whether it was just play kick return, I went All-Pro at that. Play nickel, I got paid at that. I’m here to play corner and that’s just what I want to do.”
Meanwhile, offensive tackle Zach Tom was in attendance at voluntary OTAs despite his contract status. Tom is entering the final year of his rookie contract and shared that his agent is involved in negotiations with the Packers on a possible extension.
Last offseason, Tom dealt with a torn pectoral that hampered his preparation for the season. This year, he is healthy and a full participant at practice.
“I think I’m past that now so it’s nice to be out here, being able to practice during OTAs with the guys,” Tom said. “Obviously it’s always best to stay healthy, so absolutely way better this year.”
“I think as a whole, obviously Zach’s in a lot better space physically than he was a year ago,” LaFleur said. “I mean, it’s tough when you’re rehabbing to get stronger and faster and in better shape. It’s another thing to be out there and you’re practicing and doing all the drill work and you can really focus in the weight room on making those gains.”
Despite Tom’s physical progress, offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich put Tom and all of the team’s offensive lineman on notice last month.
“We’re gonna have again a lot of competition there at both tackle positions with trying to find who our best five are, however it shakes out,” Stenavich told the media on May 12.
For Tom, the pressure is nothing new.
“It’s the NFL so you’re always competing,” Tom said. “In my career I’ve never had anything handed to me. I’m obviously a little undersized, maybe, so I’ve had to work for everything I got. It’s always competition. I’m not too concerned about it I guess. I don’t know if that’s the right word. It’s the NFL so you always have to go out there and earn your position every day.”
With Tom’s contract status in flux, other players might sit out the voluntary portion of the offseason program as they await an extension. For Tom, that was never in the cards.
“That tells you how much it means to him,” LaFleur said. “You want everybody here at this time of year, understanding that it is voluntary. That means a lot. I know for me, it means a lot to me."
While the rest of the offseason program is voluntary, this week’s 3-day minicamp is mandatory. A pair of notable Packers - Jaire Alexander and Elgton Jenkins -- have missed out on the voluntary portion as they await clarity on their contract situations. It remains to be seen if either will be in attendance at mandatory minicamp.
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