With Keisean Nixon, Money Talks for Packers

“It was a high priority” to re-sign All-Pro kick returner and starting slot defender Keisean Nixon, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst said at the NFL Annual Meeting.

Author:
Bill Huber
Mar 27, 2024

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Green Bay Packers

NFL Free Agency

Brian Gutekunst

Keisean Nixon

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Early in NFL free agency, the Green Bay Packers re-signed Keisean Nixon. The deal – three years and $18 million with a $6.5 million signing bonus – spoke volumes to how he is viewed.

For the Packers, Nixon is more than just a two-time All-Pro kick returner. He will remain the team’s slot defender. The contract immediately made that clear.

At the NFL Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla., on Tuesday, coach Matt LaFleur said new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley and new defensive passing-game coordinator Derrick Ansley were “really excited” to move forward with Nixon in the slot.

“He’s a big guy for the position; he’s 200 pounds or whatever,” LaFleur said. “His willingness to fit in the run fits, whether it’s an A-gap or B-gap, stick his nose in there and then also his ability to play man coverage.

“Certainly, there’s going to be some elements to our scheme that are going to be different. He’s going to have to learn the new scheme. He’s played in this style of system before with the Raiders when Gus Bradley was there. So, he’s familiar with some of the things that are going to be asked (of) him. But that was a big get for us to get him back, in my opinion.”

Nixon will go down as one of the great free agent signings by general manager Brian Gutekunst. Mostly a backup in three-years with the Raiders, Gutekunst signed Nixon to a one-year deal worth the minimum $965,000 in 2022. For that, he got an All-Pro returner and a backup defensive back. In 2023, Gutekunst re-signed Nixon to a one-year deal worth $4 million. For that, he got an All-Pro returner again and a defensive starter.

The bigger contract is a reward for Nixon’s growth and a bet on continued upside.

“It was a high priority,” Gutekunst said a day earlier. “He did such a good job for us in his first year as a starting nickel and playing that many snaps on defense. We certainly think his best football is ahead of him.

“We’re excited for what he can do for our defense. I think bringing in Jeff Hafley and giving him some time to study Keisean and make sure that that was a fit was important. He’s very excited to have him back, as well. Certainly, the kick return stuff was an added part of this.”

In three seasons with the Raiders, Nixon started two games and played 273 snaps on defense. He played 289 snaps in 2022 and 809 in 2023, when he was the nickel defender for all 17 games.

Last season, he had one interception and six passes defensed. According to Pro Football Focus, 32 defensive backs played at least 200 slot-coverage snaps. Nixon ranked 22nd in yards per snap, 24th in snaps per reception and 16th in passer rating. While only one player gave up more receptions, he allowed less than 10 yards per receptions so the damage was rather minimal.

Now, the expectation is Nixon, who will turn 27 on June 22, will be even better with a season’s worth of snaps under his belt.

“Having some stability within our secondary, I think the nickel position, in general, has become more and more important in our league,” Gutekunst said. “Having a guy who can do multiple things there – not only cover but be an instinctual guy who can take the ball away and also play against the run just because of how much those guys are involved.

“I think that position, in particular, has become more and more valuable, and we’ve spent a lot more time looking at exactly how we want to do that. He just really kind of fit us, not only as a player but what he brings to our locker room, as well.”