Last season was a rollercoaster for Green Bay Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon. On one hand, he finished tied for sixth in the NFL in pass defenses with 17. On the other hand, he racked up 11 penalties, the second most among all defensive backs. That volatility becomes less surprising when you remember it was his first season as a full-time outside cornerback.
With his first season as an outside cornerback behind him and a big year ahead, Nixon isn’t patting himself on the back but rather hopes to keep growing in his new role while learning from his mistakes.
“I think it helped a lot going over the film and watching the mistakes I made and some of the dumb penalties that I gave up, just not knowing the level of it, what it takes,” said Nixon after
practice on Thursday. “I feel like I had a really strong year to start it, but definitely ready to prove myself again this year for sure.”
Nixon is a rare case of a seven-year veteran who is still learning to play his primary position. The 2019 undrafted free agent has reinvented himself from a special teamer to a nickel corner to an All-Pro kick returner to now being an every-down player at one of the game’s premium positions.
The path forward won’t get easier for Nixon. As long as he’s entrenched as the Packers’ No. 1 cornerback, expectations will be high. His focus, though, is in the right places: cleaning up the penalties and developing into a more complete outside corner.
“I just want to compete, take a step from last year,” said Nixon. “Not just worry about PBUs and pass breakups and my stats. I want to play complete football. Of course, limit the penalties and stuff like that, but that’s just growing pains. I feel like it’s just another step that I can take, and I definitely have the athleticism to do it. So, just put it together.”
Nixon is entering the final year of his contract in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Keisean Nixon focused on growth after first full season at outside CB
