The Green Bay Packers entered the offseason with one glaring problem in their secondary. They have an outstanding safety tandem anchored by Xavier McKinney, but their cornerback situation left plenty to be desired last season.
Letting Nate Hobbs go was an easy call to make. Then, most people pointed to Carrington Valentine as the weakest link in that room. That's why signing Benjamin St-Juste and drafting Brandon Cisse made so much sense.
However, that doesn't mean Keisean Nixon should be in the clear. He wasn't much better than Valentine, and as much as he wants a new contract, holding out should only hurt his chances. The Packers can't cave.
The Packers shouldn't rush to give Keisean Nixon a new deal
Nixon was asked about his contract situation multiple times. He refused to discuss the subject, though he claimed his early absences from training camp weren't contract-related, citing hamstring tightness as the reason.
Even if he's telling the truth, which is a huge if, given how players usually deal with stalled contract talks, that shouldn't change the equation. He hasn't done much to earn another big-money extension with Matt LaFleur's team.
Last season, Nixon gave up a catch on 64.4 percent of his targets. He allowed 656 receiving yards, 11.6 yards per catch, an opposing passer rating of 105.1, and — more worryingly — six touchdowns. How do you bring those numbers to the table and demand a new deal before Week 1?
Nixon is an All-Pro-caliber guy on special teams, but he's a so-so cornerback. He didn't always want to play on special teams, so if he's not bringing that type of value to the table, it's hard to justify giving him a big payday.
He's entering the final year of his three-year, $48 million contract, a pact that has aged like milk. Granted, St-Juste might beat Valentine for the starting job, but it's not like having Nixon on the other side of the field is much better. If anything, both of their jobs should be in jeopardy.
Nixon might actually be dealing with an injury. Hopefully, if that's the case, he'll get back to full strength in no time, and the ailment won't linger. When that happens, the message has to be simple: Do you want to get paid? You have to earn it. Every day.
The Packers enter this season with Super Bowl aspirations, and they've already made some polarizing moves with their latest extensions. Of all the players who should be next in line, Keisean Nixon definitely isn't near the top of the list.
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