Packers re-sign Keisean Nixon 3yr $18M (19.2 max)

[CWIMM]

meh, I feel like this is an overpay for a guy who should be CB4 and is a return specialist in a league that has been making kick returns obsolete, which is more his strong suit than punt returns. And I say that as someone who felt like he was not as bad in the nickel as a lot of fans made him out to be, but he really should be our #4 CB than our starter there.

2100 return yrds in 2 seasons, granted much of that could have been gotten just taking a touch back, however he has house ability every time he returns a kick, field position matters, specially so late in games with a close score, that and being a reliable Nickle back doesn't come cheap, I think Nixon is good insurance in case the draft doesn't supply a better option

I like that the Packers re-signed Nixon but believe they slightly overpaid to retain him. As others have mentioned I prefer him to not be a starting CB but provide depth once needed.

[Pugger]

Also the reporting has been very strong on the Packers.

Said we would target bringing back NIxon, Davis and also was targeting McKinney. Also stated we were asking Jones for a pay cut and were willing to release.

Only real surprise (based on reporting) so far has been Jacobs.

I would say a surprise was actually landing the top safety in FA this spring. We weren't his only suitors.

[wallyuwl]

Good signing and a fair price, IMO. I think Nixon mostly did just fine on D last year, even though his real value is as KR.

I sure as heck like this signing a lot more than the Jacobs one for the price.

[go pak go]

Nixon didn't pass the eye test for me on the kick return front last year. He tacked up a lot of yards because he returned EVERYTHING.

Nixon had 30 returns in 2023 for 782 yards which is 26 yards per return. The vast majority of his returns were starting inside the EZ

[Yoop]

Nixon didn't pass the eye test for me on the kick return front last year. He tacked up a lot of yards because he returned EVERYTHING.

Nixon had 30 returns in 2023 for 782 yards which is 26 yards per return. The vast majority of his returns were starting inside the EZ

special teams over all wasn't as good last year as it was in 2022, so less return yardage for Nixon imho is a result of that, your eye test imo leaves that out.

we may have over paid some, but then Nixon still has some ceiling to play up to at nickel, just think some new coaching could make him better.

[go pak go]

Nixon didn't pass the eye test for me on the kick return front last year. He tacked up a lot of yards because he returned EVERYTHING.

Nixon had 30 returns in 2023 for 782 yards which is 26 yards per return. The vast majority of his returns were starting inside the EZ

special teams over all wasn't as good last year as it was in 2022, so less return yardage for Jones imho is a result of that, your eye test imo leaves that out.

we may have over paid some, but then Nixon still has some ceiling to play up to at nickel, just think some new coaching could make him better.

Our STs sucked in 2022 too. The only bright spot was our kick and punt return unit once Nixon got in. I don't think there was much of a change either year in terms of blocking.

[Yoop]

our ST's has sucked for years, 2022 was our best unit in 15 years, plenty of other stuff went wrong last year, could say Nixon was the bright spot, lack of blocking ability cause Nixon to take touch backs versus chancing a return


In Rick Gosselin’s exhaustive special teams rankings, the Packers finished 32nd in 2021, 29th in 2020, 26th in 2019, 32nd in 2018, 29th in 2016 and 32nd in 2014.

The hiring of esteemed special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccias was supposed to change that. After a promising first season in which the Packers improved by 10 spots to a still-bad 22nd in 2022, they regressed in 2023 to 29th.

Gosselin’s 43rd-annual rankings are based on 22 kicking-game categories. Ranking first in one of those categories is worth one point, finishing second is worth two and so on.

The Packers really didn’t do many things well in 2023.

While Keisean Nixon was named the All-Pro kickoff returner for a second consecutive year on Friday, the Packers finished 23rd in starting field position after a kickoff. Their average starting point was the 25.0-yard line – same as a touchback.

Nixon almost won the award by default. To be considered among the league leaders, a player must have 22 kickoff returns. Nixon and the Jets’ Xavier Gipson were the only players to hit that mark. His 26.1-yard average had a long return of 51 yards. In 2022, he averaged 28.8 yards per return with a league-high five returns of 50-plus yards.

“Kudos to everybody,” Nixon said on Friday. “It always starts with the return unit but, for me, my accomplishment, it showed my work. Last year was the first time me every doing it. And (I made) All Pro. First full year. I thought I was going to get the same opps as last year and it was nowhere near it. But I still managed to have a good year, kind of. It was a blessing man. I’m happy.”

On the other hand, Green Bay ranked ninth in opponent starting field position after a kickoff with an average start of the 24.8. That’s a credit to the coverage unit as rookie kicker Anders Carlson had the lowest touchback rate in the NFL. Opponents started inside the 20 a dozen times – the only team with double-digits.

Replacing veteran Mason Crosby, Carlson was 27-of-33 on field goals and 34-of-39 on extra points. In total, he missed a league-worst 11 kicks.

“Like any season, there’s ups and downs,” he said on Friday. “You want to peak at all times, obviously, but peak at the right times, so that’s the focus is just getting back to what I do and making all the kicks.”

First-year punter Daniel Whelan finished 27th in net average. Other than a 76-yard punt-return touchdown allowed against the Saints, his other 56 punts allowed only 194 return yards. His 18 inside-the-20 punts vs. five touchbacks wasn’t good enough; last year, Pat O’Donnell had 24 inside-the-20s vs. one touchback.

Opponent punters ranked 22nd in net average. Nixon averaged 6.8 yards per return with a long of 34 and Jayden Reed averaged 8.5 yards per return with a long of 35.

The Packers’ special teams were found guilty of league-worst totals of 19 penalties for 178 yards. Sunday’s playoff opponent, the Dallas Cowboys, are next with 15 penalties and third with 152 yards.

Dallas finished 12th in Gosselin’s rankings. Kicker Brandon Aubrey made 36-of-38 field goals and 49-of-52 extra points. KaVontae Turpin averaged 29.2 yards per kickoff return. They ranked 21st in kickoff coverage and 24th in punt coverage but tied for No. 1 with three blocks.

Green Bay has not finished in the top 10 of Gosselin’s rankings since 2007.



https://www.si.com/nfl/packers/news/all ... cial-teams

[Labrev]

It's stupid that he returns every kick he catches. I can get it if it is past the goal-line, or even just a few yards inside, because you are confident in what you can do and instill an aggressive approach. Taking it out from as much like 8 yards deep into the EZ is dumb. Just kneel and start at the 25. It just becomes needless negative yardage in a game.

And at this point, we do not really even need Nixon to do it. Reed is a better PR and probably will be fine as KR. We want him to get more touches anyway.

[Drj820]

He got paid to be the slot corner, KR duties were a bonus.

[mnkcarp]

Anyone listen to Bukowski on Locked on Packers? Interested in what you think about his Nixon playing safety idea.

[CWIMM]

Nixon didn't pass the eye test for me on the kick return front last year. He tacked up a lot of yards because he returned EVERYTHING.

Nixon had 30 returns in 2023 for 782 yards which is 26 yards per return. The vast majority of his returns were starting inside the EZ

The Packers average starting position after Nixon returned a kickoff was 24.67 yards. On average the team would have done better not returning any.

[Yoop]

Nixon didn't pass the eye test for me on the kick return front last year. He tacked up a lot of yards because he returned EVERYTHING.

Nixon had 30 returns in 2023 for 782 yards which is 26 yards per return. The vast majority of his returns were starting inside the EZ

The Packers average starting position after Nixon returned a kickoff was 24.67 yards. On average the team would have done better not returning any.

are you saying the league should abolish kick returns?

Nixon runs em out on the possibility the blocking will provide a lane, he'll get through it and have a big return, the year prior I read he provided us with the best field position in the league, shorter field, should help the offense, Aaron Rodgers seemed to think it did

[go pak go]

Nixon didn't pass the eye test for me on the kick return front last year. He tacked up a lot of yards because he returned EVERYTHING.

Nixon had 30 returns in 2023 for 782 yards which is 26 yards per return. The vast majority of his returns were starting inside the EZ

The Packers average starting position after Nixon returned a kickoff was 24.67 yards. On average the team would have done better not returning any.

Correct. It is why I had a hard time buying the "Nixon is a great KR" narrative in 2023. He did have a nice post season though.

But overall the regular season was a disappointment from our kick return standpoint.

[Pckfn23]

Some discrepancies in the stats lately:

While Keisean Nixon was named the All-Pro kickoff returner for a second consecutive year on Friday, the Packers finished 23rd in starting field position after a kickoff. Their average starting point was the 25.0-yard line – same as a touchback.

Nixon almost won the award by default. To be considered among the league leaders, a player must have 22 kickoff returns. Nixon and the Jets’ Xavier Gipson were the only players to hit that mark. His 26.1-yard average had a long return of 51 yards. In 2022, he averaged 28.8 yards per return with a league-high five returns of 50-plus yards.

https://www.si.com/nfl/packers/news/all ... cial-teams

For comparison:

KICKOFF RETURNS

Best: Houston, 26.7 yards

Worst: LA Rams, 16.1 yards

League average: 22.6 yards

[Yoop]

I just brought the entire article 23 yesterday, about 5 posts above yours.

this stands out, Nixon comes right out and says the opportunity for big returns just wasn't there, w2hich translates to less open run lanes.
Nixon didn't decline, special teams blocking declined, penalties increased, special teams production includes blocking and Nixon didn't get it.

“Kudos to everybody,” Nixon said on Friday. “It always starts with the return unit but, for me, my accomplishment, it showed my work. Last year was the first time me every doing it. And (I made) All Pro. First full year. I thought I was going to get the same opps as last year and it was nowhere near it. But I still managed to have a good year, kind of. It was a blessing man. I’m happy.”

[APB]

I much prefer to have a guy like Nixon give us a shot at a big return rather than simply allowing the touchback on every KO. If he only gets it out to the 20-25 yd line, so what? At some point, like he did in the playoffs, he'll break one.

I'll take that ordinary average start position for a potential game-breaking play at a critical moment every time.

[Labrev]

What about, rather than touchback on every KO, take out the kicks that are not over four yards deep into the endzone and down the rest?

[APB]

What about, rather than touchback on every KO, take out the kicks that are not over four yards deep into the endzone and down the rest?

I believe that's pretty close to what is already happening, with certain exceptions, of course. I'd guess that Nixon has been given the green light to run it back if he sees a certain alignment or breakdown in pursuit regardless of KO depth.

[Yoop]

I much prefer to have a guy like Nixon give us a shot at a big return rather than simply allowing the touchback on every KO. If he only gets it out to the 20-25 yd line, so what? At some point, like he did in the playoffs, he'll break one.

I'll take that ordinary average start position for a potential game-breaking play at a critical moment every time.

spot on, anyone with a lick of sense would, and it's certainly part of the reason he was paid what he was.

I can't even fathom why anyone would argue over this.

[Labrev]

I much prefer to have a guy like Nixon give us a shot at a big return rather than simply allowing the touchback on every KO. If he only gets it out to the 20-25 yd line, so what? At some point, like he did in the playoffs, he'll break one.

I'll take that ordinary average start position for a potential game-breaking play at a critical moment every time.

spot on, anyone with a lick of sense would, and it's certainly part of the reason he was paid what he was.

I can't even fathom why anyone would argue over this.

What's unfathomable about wanting to start from the 25 more often than behind it?