The Green Bay Packers cap space dictated that they would not be major players in free agency this offseason. However, that does not mean that they did not do anything significant. Of all the free agents that the Packers had, there was one that everyone unanimously thought should be re-signed. Special teams returner Keisean Nixon is the biggest offseason addition for the Green Bay Packers.
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Packers CB/R Keisean Nixon (25) – Jeff Hanisch/USA TODAY Sports
Green Bay Packers Keisean Nixon
If you are not a Packers fan, let me fill you in on a running joke for the past decade. Our special teams have been awful. Outside of Mason Crosby, the rest of the special teams have been wildly inconsistent and have been a comedy of errors. This all changed when Rich Bisaccia was hired.
While the winds of change did not come immediately, the second half of the season gave Packers fans something they had not had in a long time, a dangerous returner. Keisean Nixon got the role midseason and ended up as an All-Pro nod. He made game-changing plays and was a big part of the playoff push at the end of the season.
Returner Role For 2023
The Green Bay Packers are hoping for a repeat of last season. While the league has implemented rules that have incentivized teams not to return kicks and punts, the value of a player like Nixon is still there. Even if he only has three impactful returns in a season, that has a massive impact on the team, especially for a team that has a first-year starter.
Jordan Love takes over the offense, and if the special teams can give him some short fields, that is going to help a lot. Going a step further, a kick or punt return for a touchdown now becomes a massive play that can really swing the tide of a game. While his returner role is set, he is also finding a role on the defense.
Packers CB/R Keisean Nixon (25) – Kassidy Hill/Packers News
Reps At Cornerback
Nixon has been getting some reps at cornerback in the offseason. Eric Stokes is still recovering from an ankle injury and cornerback depth is never a bad thing to have. Nixon helps the defense in two big ways. First, he has speed. The Packers can put him on a speedy receiver and not worry about him getting beat. Second, if Nixon can find ways to force turnovers, he now has an opportunity to do what he does best, return. If Nixon can create a defensive touchdown or two this season, it would be another huge help to Love and the offense.
Packers CB/R Keisean Nixon (25) – Morry Gash/AP Photo
Excitement At The Position For The Fans
We also cannot mitigate the impact having a player like Keisean Nixon has on the fanbase. Knowing that your guy can rip off a big return at any point is exciting. No longer is the kickoff a time to go to the bathroom or grab more chips in the kitchen. Even if the play doesn’t go for a touchdown, a 50-yard return is still very exciting. For a fanbase that has dreaded watching special teams for the better part of a decade, they now can go into the 2023 season with hope for the unit.
The Green Bay Packers are in a new era—Jordan Love at quarterback. Young pass catchers. Good special teams. Everything is different in 2023. Watch out for Nixon this season. If he continues what he did in the back half of 2022, he will start getting some national attention.
