Our subjects in this series so far have been fairly uncontroversial. Rashan Gary, Elgton Jenkins, and Josh Jacobs all carry big cap numbers, and all of them have interesting cases for and against keeping
them in 2026.
Keisean Nixon is no less interesting, but the discussion around him is going to be a lot more contentious.
Why? Well, you know why. If Matt LaFleur found himself in Packers’ fans crosshairs after two late-season collapses against the Bears, Keisean Nixon was right there with him. Well, I guess technically he was out on the field, watching various Chicago wide receivers run past him to make key play after key play, but you get the sentiment.
In any case, Nixon has drawn a lot of negative attention this offseason. But in some ways, that’s because Nixon has been a victim of his own success. He originally signed a one-year $965,000 with the Packers in 2022, but his profile steadily rose in Green Bay as he contributed first as an All-Pro kickoff returner, then as a decent slot corner, then, increasingly, as an outside corner. He signed a $4 million deal to return to the Packers in 2022, then inked a three-year $18 million contract in 2023, the last year of which arrives this season.
Those successive raises have come with Nixon’s increasing responsibilities, but his issues in 2025 have prompted questions about his future in Green Bay. So will he be back with the Packers in 2026?
The case for Keisean Nixon
In the grand scheme, Keisean Nixon is fairly cheap as far as cornerbacks go. Now in the third year of that three-year deal, Nixon is set to count a little over $7.1 million against the Packers’ 2026 cap. That ranks 39th among cornerbacks, according to Spotrac. You could obviously do a lot worse, cap-wise, than having Keisean Nixon as your top outside corner.
When healthy, Nixon has a versatile and interesting skill set; he can line up inside, outside, and return kickoffs at an elite level. Should he be your primary corner? Probably not, but the fact that he’s being asked to do that in Green Bay isn’t Keisean Nixon’s problem.
Neither is it Keisean Nixon’s problem that he believes he’s the best cornerback in the world. Every cornerback believes he’s the best cornerback in the world. That’s part of the job. If you don’t have irrational self belief, you probably can’t be an NFL defensive back. A little insanity is just seasoning for these guys. If Nixon didn’t have 150% confidence in his abilities, he probably doesn’t make a play to seal the game against the Bears.
The case against Keisean Nixon
Unfortunately, that confidence cuts both ways, and sometimes Nixon’s confidence outstrips his abilities. He allowed 11.3 yards per catch in 2025, the highest of his tenure in Green Bay. Pro Football Focus also had him on the hook for allowing seven touchdowns this season, also the highest figure of his time with the Packers. PFF had him as their 24th best cornerback among the 76 who logged at least 350 snaps in coverage. Even if Nixon isn’t getting paid top cornerback money, he’s certainly not playing like the top cornerback on a championship-caliber defense. That, again, is not a Nixon problem, at least not directly. But it does contextualize some of his struggles such as they are. Even armed with limitless belief in himself, Nixon just isn’t that great, though he’s still being asked to be the Packers’ corner.
Bottom line: Keisean Nixon is relatively affordable and the Packers’ cornerback room is otherwise pretty desolate
That’s the real problem, because here’s the rub: the Packers’ decision on Nixon isn’t just about Nixon alone. Roster decisions never happen in a vacuum, and that is especially true here. Though the Packers would surely rather have a better top corner than Keisean Nixon, they don’t have any better options, and they’re not in a position to burn it all down at corner.
Their next best outside option is Carrington Valentine, a player so inconsistent the Packers’ rolled the dice on the paradigm of inconsistency himself, Trevon Diggs, who was several years past his prime, a victim of multiple serious injuries, and so unimpressive in his brief stint that the DB-hungry Packers only put him on the field for a single snap in the playoffs.
And outside of Valentine, the only other options are Nate Hobbs, who has his own issues and is probably at his best in the slot, and a slew of low-roster, UDFA-types. Unless the Packers want to spend big in free agency (a tough sell, given their cap constraints) or roll the dice in the draft (where they don’t have a first round pick), this is the group they’ve got.
In short, the Packers really don’t have much of a choice but to keep Nixon. He’s not a great option, and I certainly understand why Packers fans are out for blood, but there’s really no other option.
