Packers' Keisean Nixon has unrealistic expectation for his role in 2025

Keisean Nixon was an All-Pro kick returner in 2022 and 2023 for the Packers, but that's not how he sees things playing out for him in 2025 and beyond.

That's not because Nixon doesn't have the talent. He had a bit of an off year this season, but he still averaged 29.3 yards per kickoff return — which is actually more than his two All-Pro seasons. The problem, as was the problem for all kick returners in the NFL this season, was that he got far fewer opportunities thanks to the new kickoff rules.

As such, it sounds like Nixon wants to get out of the return game. In fact, he's focused so hard on playing cornerback that he wants to Packers to consider him CB1 next season.

"I want to be CB1," Nixon said as he cleaned out his locker, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN. "CB1 is not doing kick returns. That's just what it is."

That's a nice thought from Nixon, but while he want to be Green Bay's top corner, he simply doesn't have the talent to do so.

Frankly, his most useful role on defense was as a slot corner where he could use his speed and athleticism to his advantage, but injuries to Jaire Alexander and others forced him into an outside cornerback role alongside Carrington Valentine.

Alexander is a lock-down corner when he's healthy but he's rarely healthy nowadays, so his long-term future is up in the air in Green Bay. That may make Nixon the default CB1 on the depth chart for the time, but if general manager Brian Gutekunst goes into 2025 with Nixon as his top cornerback, the Packers are going to be in a ton of trouble.

He's a solid role player, but he's not the type of lockdown corner who can demand respect much like Alexander did.

In the meantime, though, don't expect Nixon to return any more kicks, though that's arguably his greatest asset to the Packers.

"I'm kind of over it; I don't really want to do it no more," Nixon said. "There's going to be talks with the coaching staff and stuff like that, but I think it's over with for me."