Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s scheme asks a lot of Green Bay’s cornerbacks.
Hafley’s system, largely imported from his time at Boston College, places a premium on dominating in coverage and has helped veteran safety Xavier McKinney have an All-Pro caliber first season in a Packers uniform.
While Green Bay finished the 2024 campaign with the NFL’s 15th-ranked passing defense, several Packers defensive backs showed out in their first season playing for Hafley.
Keisean Nixon Becomes Household Name for Packers
One of those defensive backs, is corner Keisean Nixon, who had the most balanced and finest statistical season in his sixth NFL season and third in a Packers uniform.
“I think Keisean’s had a really good year,” Hafley recently told reporters. “It’s been kind of quiet that lot of people haven’t brought him up, but look at what he’s been able to do – his coverage has been tight, he’s been able to blitz, he’s been aggressive against the run.
“I think Keisean needs to get more credit than he’s probably getting for all that we’ve asked him to do and all the different things he’s actually been able to have success with. I’m really proud of him.”
Finishing with a career-high 88 total tackles, three sacks, and one interception, Nixon embodied the kind of Swiss-Army Knife defender the Packers are looking for on the back-end of the defense.
Pro Football Focus points out that not only did Nixon’s nine quarterback pressures rank second among cornerbacks across the league, but opposing wide receivers averaged just 8.9 yards per reception when lined up against him.
“He’s taken his game up another level,” Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur told reporters. “Every year, he’s a guy that’s shown the ability and has gotten better and more consistent in his football in terms of him going out there and performing. Kei is a guy that we’ve got a lot of confidence in.”
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