Keisean Nixon’s rapid descent to the third-string defense follows claims of being punished, as the All-Pro veteran struggles to maintain his roster spot amidst intense preseason competition.
Green Bay Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon is sliding down the depth chart at the wrong time in the preseason, and things turned a took for the worse for the veteran player on Wednesday.
Nixon made strong remarks about his place on the Packers depth chart on Sunday, telling reporters he felt he was being "punished" by the coaching staff.
“I guess I’m being punished right now, I guess, I don’t know," Nixon said. "I don’t really worry about what I’m running in camp, the ones and twos, I just keep my process and compete."
Per Zachery Jacobson of The Packers Dispatch, Nixon went from the first-team defense, to the second-team defense, to the third-team defense in the span of Wednesday's practice. He struggled with the third team.
"Opposite MJ Devonshire Jr. in the Packers’ third-string defensive lineup, Nixon surrendered a substantial gain on a reception to second-year wideout Savion Williams, followed by falling while trying to cover an inside slant to Christian Watson," Jacobson wrote.
Jacobson wonders if the Packers are indeed punishing Nixon at this point.
Nixon came into the league in 2019 as an undrafted free agent, finding a home with the Raiders. He joined the Packers in 2022, earning first-team All-Pro honors in his first two years in Green Bay.
While he's been one of the better corners on the Packers in recent years, Green Bay hasn't had much talent at the position. The defense surrendered 25 points in the fourth quarter to the Chicago Bears in the Wild-Card Round.
Clearly, a coach who had little leverage going into contract negotiations this winter wants to see improvement from the secondary.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur brushed off Nixon's comments when speaking to reporters on Tuesday. LaFleur said he wants competition everywhere in camp.
“He loves making a headline, doesn’t he?” LaFleur said of Nixon claiming to be punished. You guys will take it differently than me. The way I look at it is this—I guess our whole team is being punished, because everybody is in a competition.
"I’m a big believer that competition will bring the best out of people. I want everybody to play with a chip on their shoulder. If they feel they have something to prove, you’re probably going to get more out of them.”
Nixon already had a chip on his shoulder coming into the league after being skipped over in the draft. He has to prove himself all over again after making the Pro Bowl last year.
Clearly, Green Bay thinks he has more to show to make the 53-man roster.
