Keisean Nixon — Keiseasn Nixon (Photo by Dan Powers/USA Today Sports Images)

Packers Training Camp Preview: Special Teams

In the 11th and final part of a series of Green Bay Packers training camp positional previews, it’s a look at the special teams – a longtime weakness that could be the strength of the team.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Jul 24, 2023 10:31 AM EDT

In this story:

Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers fielded below-average special teams with coordinators ranging from veterans such as Ron Zook to young up-and-comers like Maurice Drayton. Believe it or not, it was more of the same last year following the hiring of esteemed coordinator Rich Bisaccia.

In Rick Gosselin’s annual deep-dive into all areas of special teams, the Packers have ranked 20th or worse eight of the past 10 seasons. Last year, they were 22nd. It only seems like they were so much better by comparison after placing 32nd in 2021, 29th in 2020, 26th in 2019, 32nd in 2018, 29th in 2016 and 32nd in 2014.

However, spurred by the midseason switch to Keisean Nixon at returner, the Packers surged down the stretch. Nixon provided instant offense while the coverage units tightened.

With most of the key players from 2022 back for 2023 – with one obviously enormous exception – here is our Packers training camp preview of the special teams.

Projected Opening Depth Chart

Starters: K Anders Carlson, P Pat O’Donnell, LS Matt Orzech, KR Keisean Nixon, PR Jayden Reed.

Backups: K None, P Daniel Whelan, LS Broughton Hatcher, KR Jayden Reed, PR Keisean Nixon.

Position Group Ranking (out of 11)

Seventh.

Strength

The core has returned. The Packers just didn’t make a bold move by hiring Bisaccia last offseason. General manager Brian Gutekunst actually dedicated resources to special teams by signing the likes of Dallin Leavitt and Keisean Nixon in free agency along with Rudy Ford after final cuts and Eric Wilson during the season.

This offseason, Gutekunst retained all those players. Sure, they all got one-year contracts to it’s not a monumental commitment, but he re-signed Tyler Davis (first in snaps), Leavitt (second), Nixon (fourth) and Wilson (sixth), meaning the top eight in snaps from 2022 are back for 2023. Leavitt, Wilson and linebacker Isaiah McDuffie tied for the team lead in tackles while Davis was fourth.

“I think anytime you can keep your core together, as long as they can still perform at a high level, is good for our team,” Bisaccia said. “Credit to Brian and Coach (Matt) LaFleur and them putting their heads together and getting our guys back that we think – as the year went on, to your point, I thought we got a little bit better. We started to perform a little bit better.”

Of course, the biggest transaction of them all was re-signing the All-Pro Nixon, who ranked third in the NFL in kickoff-return average and would have ranked second in punt returns had he reached the requisite number of runbacks. Led by his 105-yard touchdown that provided a quick dagger against Minnesota in Week 17, Nixon’s five returns of 50-plus yards were as many as the Packers had over the previous decade.

A quarterback needs to be the rising tide that lifts all boats on offense. It’s the same at returner on special teams. As Slocum said a few times during his tenure, the blocking tends to be better with a big-time returner. It’s human nature to block a little harder and a little longer if there’s a chance to spring a long return. And who wants to be that guy who screwed up a 100-yard touchdown?

“Obviously, the addition of putting Keisean back there and the blocks seemed to get a little bit better when he went back there, as well,” Bisaccia said.

Weakness

Kicker. Mason Crosby was the best kicker in Packers history and, with him on the threshold of the NFL top-10 lists for scoring and field goals, he’s one of the best in NFL history.

The Packers’ record book is almost laughable, with his franchise-record 1,918 points being more than the combined total of the players ranked second (Ryan Longwell, 1,054) and third (Don Hutson, 825). His 395 field goals are almost as many as Longwell (226) and Chris Jacke (173) combined.

The Packers elected to not re-sign Crosby and drafted Anders Carlson, who kicked for five years at Auburn but had only one good season. He kicked twice in front of reporters during the offseason; it’s easy to see why they like his potential. But, at this point, it’s only potential. From 40-plus yards at Auburn, he was 30-of-56 for his career – a woeful 53.6 percent.

A second-team All-American in 2020, when he made 20-of-22 attempts, can he kick with accuracy?

A native of Colorado Springs, can he handle the cold?

The brother of All-Pro Daniel Carlson, can he handle the pressure of replacing a kicking legend?

That’s the bet, with Carlson flying solo for the start of camp.

Key Questions

1. Can Anders Carlson successfully replace Mason Crosby? His struggles in college don’t automatically portend struggles in the NFL.

2. Will the Packers re-sign Mason Crosby? Crosby remains unsigned. There’s little doubt he could be signed late in camp and be ready to roll for Week 1.

“I’ve been fortunate to be around a lot of great kickers during my time in the league and he’s one of them,” Bisaccia said. “We’re still in conversation. I think Brian has spoken that the door is not closed. He’s not on anybody’s team yet.”

That being said, Crosby will turn 39 just before the opening game at Chicago. At some point, the Packers will need to turn the page. Now, with a new quarterback and a bit of a financial reset, seems to be the right time. So, if Carlson is a disaster, perhaps the Packers would be better served finding some other young kicker.

3. Will someone challenge Pat O’Donnell? The Packers signed all-XFL punter Daniel Whelan in May. He kicked one time with reporters present and outkicked the incumbent O’Donnell by a significant margin. And if not Whelan, “The Punt God,” Matt Araiza, remains unsigned, as one league source pointed out recently.

Out of 31 qualifying punters last season, O’Donnell ranked 27th in gross average and 30th in net average. That’s not very good. He is, however, an excellent holder and had 24 inside-the-20 punts vs. just one touchback last year.

4. What is the unit’s ceiling? In the annual Gosselin rankings, Green Bay went from 32nd in 2021 to 22nd in 2022. That’s a solid 10-spot rise. With so many of the key players back, could this be a top-10 unit?

Biggest Battle

Who will return punts? Nixon was a success as a punt returner, too, though his unorthodox style of picking up bouncing balls probably gave Bisaccia some heartburn. Second-round draft pick Jayden Reed was explosive at Michigan State, his 13.6-yard career average highlighted by his 19.8-yard mark and two touchdowns during an All-American 2021.

As the starter in the slot on defense and the kickoff returner on special teams, the Packers probably would like to lessen Nixon’s workload a bit.

The starting point will be catching the ball.

“It’s a kicking ball. I know that sounds funny but there’s a new ball that goes into the game for those guys,” Bisaccia explained. “When they get ahold of that slicker ball, as a return guy, you see some muffs or fumbles from some young guys early until they get used there being a new ball in there. It’s not the same quarterback ball he’s catching as a receiver. He’s got tremendous speed, we think he has really good vision and balance, so we’re excited to see what he can do as we get going here.”

Star Search

All-Pro Keisean Nixon. For years, taking a touchback and the ball at the 25 was a victory for Green Bay’s feeble return unit. With Nixon, it was a full-time green light.

The touchdown against Minnesota was remarkable. So were the moments preceding it. The Packers had just given up the opening score. Were the fans dejected? Nah. When Nixon was introduced as the returner, the fans in the north end zone stood and cheered. Nixon fielded the kickoff 5 yards deep in the end zone, jetted through an enormous void and raced 105 yards for the touchdown.

You can bet opponents will do what they can to keep the ball out of his hands.

“They’ve got to give me the ball. They’ve got to kick it to me. It’s going to get special, though,” Nixon said during OTAs.

Don’t Forget About

Matt Orzech. Whoever the kicker, a big factor in his success (or failure) will be the snapper-holder combination. With the free-agent signing of Orzech, the Packers have a veteran snapper who won a Super Bowl ring with the Rams.

Orzech spent five years as a kid growing up in Wisconsin.

“There was definitely the allure of the history and culture of the team,” he told Packer Central. “I talked to a few guys that I know that played here in the past that loved the organization from the top down and sang their praises.

“On top of that, there’s a whole clan of Orzechs in the Wisconsin era that are over the moon right now to be able to wear green and yellow again after being forced to wear other teams’ logos over the last few years.”