Gutekunst: ‘A lot more’ nickel snaps for Packers Keisean Nixon

It’s not only Keisean Nixon’s ability as a return man that has Green Bay Packers GM Brian Gutekunst excited about his return but also his impact on defense, specifically as a nickel cornerback.

Nixon joined the Packers last offseason and was expected to primarily be a special teams contributor. Right away, he made an impact on the punt return team as a gunner, and by season’s end, he was the most dynamic kick returner in the NFL.

But in the midst of those special teams snaps, whether it be due to an injury elsewhere or Nixon just being the best option, he also saw 290 total defensive snaps, most of which came from the slot.

With the other cornerback options being either Eric Stokes, Jaire Alexander, or Rasul Douglas, Nixon was targeted heavily and allowed 22 completions on 28 targets, according to PFF. However, he would hold pass-catchers to under 10 yards per completion and came away with one interception while also proving to be a willing tackler in the run game.

Now looking ahead to 2023, Nixon will, of course, be Green Bay’s return man, but as Gutekunst told reporters on Monday, he is also going to see a lot more snaps in the nickel.

"“That was really important,” said Gutekunst in reference to re-signing Nixon. “He made such a big difference for our football team last year with what he was able to do not only in the nickel, but he’s a good return specialist and did different things on teams. He is one of the better gunners in the NFL. We’re not only excited about the return stuff, but I think he’s going to see a lot more time in the nickel this year. We’re all really excited about that because when he was in there, he was really impactful.”"

With Nixon seeing more snaps from the slot, this could very well mean that Douglas will be moving to safety, which is something that Gutekunst also discussed at the NFL Combine. Douglas has just 44 career snaps as a free safety, but Gutekunst believes his skill-set would make him a good fit for it.

Despite re-signing Rudy Ford and adding Tarvarius Moore, safety remains one of the Packers’ biggest needs. Poor tackling, communication breakdowns, and an overall lack of playmaking were regular issues that the defense dealt with in 2022.

Unfortunately, the Packers do not have the spending power to address the need in free agency further, and this is a draft class that is short on high-end talent, with only one safety ranked inside Daniel Jeremiah’s most recent top 50.

With Douglas at safety, at a minimum, the Packers will have options at the position, with Ford, Moore, Darnell Savage, Tariq Carpenter, Innis Gaines, and likely a rookie all fighting for playing time.

Options in the nickel, in addition to Nixon, include Alexander, as long as the Packers continue to move him around, Savage, and Gaines. I also wouldn’t rule out Green Bay spending an early-round pick on a cornerback, even though, on paper that isn’t their biggest need. This is, however, a draft class with a lot of talent at that position.

On the first day of free agency, Nixon agreed to a one-year deal with Green Bay that is worth $4 million and up to $6 million with incentives. To keep his cap hit low, the Packers also utilized four void years.