Pro Bowl CB Keisean Nixon Speaks After Packers Indicate Starting Job Is Open For Competition

Packers CB Keisean Nixon was named a Pro Bowl alternate last year and started all 17 games for Green Bay, but the coaching staff has continued to say there’s an open competition at the position during camp this year.

Speaking at camp on Sunday, Nixon talked about his uncertain role at this point. He said he’s going to keep his process the same regardless of when his reps come, and made his case for why there shouldn’t be a competition in the first place.

“I guess I’m being punished right now, I guess, I don’t know,” Nixon said, via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. “I don’t really worry about what I’m running in camp, ones or twos. I just keep my process and just compete — for real.”

“I don’t view myself in no competition. I’ve come here to compete for myself. What they do and who they choose, that’s out of my control. I can only control what I can control. Nah, I came from the bottom. So I’m here. Year 8. Since I’ve been here, I ain’t been off the field. And anything they’ve asked me to do, I played at a high level. Whether it was, getting accolades or anything, however it came, I showed up. So, I always show up.”

Packers HC Matt LaFleur was among the coaches who talked about the open competition at corner. He didn’t mention any specific name, but was clear they want capable and willing tacklers who do their job on any given play. 

“We want to see … obviously, it starts by doing your right assignment, and then it comes down to your style of play,” LaFleur said. “How are you competing? Going after the ball? Not only in the pass game, but in the run game as well? Are you sticking your nose in there? And we need corners that are willing and capable tacklers.”

Nixon is heading into the final year of a three-year, $18 million contract and is scheduled to make a base salary of $4.3 million.

The Packers used a second-round pick on CB Brandon Cisse and added CB Benjamin St-Juste in free agency to a room already with Nixon and Carrington Valentine.

Nixon, 29, wound up going undrafted out of South Carolina back in 2019. He played out the final year of his three-year rookie contract he signed with the Raiders.

However, the Raiders declined to tender Nixon an offer as a restricted free agent, and he later signed on with the Packers in 2022. Green Bay brought Nixon back on a one-year contract in 2023 before re-signing him to a three-year, $18 million contract back in March of 2024.

In 2025, Nixon started all 17 games for the Packers and recorded 72 total tackles, three tackles for loss, one interception, 17 passes defended and one fumble recovery.