The Green Bay Packers‘ season is over after the 24-21 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round of the NFL Playoffs. While the loss was frustrating, there is some consolation in the fact that this year’s team far outperformed the expectations many had for them. With Jordan Love taking over for Aaron Rodgers as the starting quarterback, many did not believe they would finish with a winning record much less make it past the first round of the postseason.
The encouraging thing about the season was that the young talent on the roster got better and better as the weeks went by. For a team that prides itself on the draft and develop philosophy of roster building, having so many promising first and second year players means that they will be competitive for years to come.
However, there are some tough decisions that will be made this offseason. As is the case every offseason, players will depart via free agency or will be released to open up more salary cap space. While the bones of the roster will remain intact, some important and popular players may find themselves looking for a new team in 2024.
One of the players who is hitting free agency is two-time First Team All Pro kick returner Keisean Nixon. After the loss to San Francisco, he was asked about what his time in Green Bay has meant to him, and his response had many fans calling for the Packers to re-sign him next year too.
Keisean Nixon Says His Time with the Green Bay Packers Has Meant “Everything”
When the Packers first signed Nixon, it was because he had played for special teams coordinator Rich Bissacia with the Las Vegas Raiders and had showed promise on special teams. After Amari Rodgers’ continued struggles as the team’s kick returner, Nixon was given the job and turned into the best returner in the NFL.
In 2022, Nixon led the NFL with 35 kick returns for 1,009 yards, one of which was a 105-yard return for a touchdown. This past year, he led the NFL with 30 kick returns for 782 yards (his 26.1 yards per return also led the league). Nixon was named First Team All Pro in both seasons.
Following their loss in San Francisco, Nixon was asked what the last two seasons have meant to him, and his response was very reflective:
“The moment I signed that contract and put the ‘G’ on my helmet…it mean everything.”
Caught up with a very reflective Keisean Nixon after the game. Nixon is now an unrestricted free agent, and only had great things to say about his time with the #Packers @keiseannixon pic.twitter.com/Ihtgz1Xpru
— Lauren Helmbrecht (@lmhelmbrecht) January 21, 2024
“Man, that s**t mean everything to me. I feel like I grew so much as a person, not just as a football player. The moment I signed my contract and put that G on my helmet, it mean everything.
“They poured everything into me in this organization and I poured everything back into them, and two All Pros later…”
Nixon, as mentioned, is an unrestricted free agent. He re-signed with Green Bay last season on a one-year $4 million contract. From the sound of it, he has really enjoyed his time with the Packers, and at 27 years old bringing him back would not deviate greatly from the team’s youth movement.
The fact of the matter is that special teams has always been a problem in Green Bay. The Packers have had the best returner in the game over the past two seasons.
Re-signing him should be a no-brainer.
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