The offseason started on an interesting note for the Green Bay Packers. Special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia stepped down on Tuesday night, and while that would've been great news weeks ago, it's been 39 days since the Packers' season ended.
Now that Byron Storer, his top assistant, is leaving for the Cleveland Browns, the Packers will have to scramble to find him a replacement. More than that, Bisaccia's departure also probably marks the beginning of the end for Keisean Nixon in Wisconsin.
Rich Bisaccia’s Decision Moves Keisean Nixon Closer to Packers Exit
Nixon is an average cornerback at best. His value came on special teams, and even though he was reluctant to contribute as a returner, Bisaccia convinced him to reclaim those duties in the playoffs this season, returning three kicks for 69 yards against the Chicago Bears in the Wild Card Round.
Clearly, the former special teams coordinator believed he could be a reliable contributor. Nixon had been reluctant to do so, and his reluctant agreement showed a strong bond between him and the coordinator. Now, with his biggest defender in the building out the door, he may not have many people vouching for him.
The Packers can clear up $5 million by cutting or releasing Nixon, per Spotrac. That's certainly a solid amount, especially if Green Bay can replace him with a cheaper option through the 2026 NFL draft.
According to OverTheCap, they're $1.5 million over the salary cap right now, and with decisions to make about Elgton Jenkins, Aaron Banks, Rashan Gary, and maybe even Josh Jacobs, every penny will count for general manager Brian Gutekunst.
Cornerback play was a major concern for former defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley's unit all year long. Nate Hobbs might be on his way out, and moving on from Nixon also makes perfect sense. He's never been much of a ball-hawk, as he's never had more than one interception in a single season.
Nixon's Pro Football Focus grade of 66.4 ranked 41st among 114 eligible cornerbacks, but the actual numbers tell a worse picture. He allowed 56 receptions on 87 targets (64.4% catch rate) for 651 yards and a career-worst six touchdowns. He allowed 160 yards after the catch, and quarterbacks had a passer rating of 105.1 when targeting him.
Nixon will have a cap hit of $7.1 million and a base salary of $4.3 million, and while that's not necessarily a lot, it's way too much for what they're getting from him in terms of production. Having him also contribute to special teams would mitigate that financial burden, but with Bisaccia no longer in the picture, that may not be on the table.