Keisean Nixon had plenty to say about football, but when the questions turned to his contract, he shut it down fast.
The Packers cornerback was asked about his deal three separate times during his first media availability of training camp, and each time he pointed reporters back to his agent, Tory Dandy, and general manager Brian Gutekunst. Nixon did make one thing clear, though: his absence from the team’s first training camp practice had nothing to do with the contract.
After passing his physical when he arrived, Nixon woke up Wednesday with hamstring tightness. The team wanted it checked out, so he got it examined. He was back on the field Thursday.
Nixon is entering the final year of the three-year, $18 million contract he signed, with a $4.3 million base salary set for 2026. His $6 million average annual salary ranks 41st among NFL cornerbacks, according to Spotrac.
While the contract talk stayed off limits, Nixon’s on-field arc remains one of the more interesting ones on the roster. He went from a minimum-salary special teams player in 2022 to an All-Pro kick returner, nickel cornerback and eventually the Packers’ top cornerback. Last season, he started all 18 games, playoffs included, and was named an NFC Pro Bowl alternate.
His 2025 stat line showed both the production and the rough edges. Nixon finished with 78 tackles, three tackles for loss, one fumble recovery, a career-high 17 pass breakups and one interception.
That pick came in Green Bay’s 28-21 win over the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field on Dec. 7, when he sealed the game with an end-zone interception. Pro Football Focus gave him a 66.4 overall grade, which ranked 41st among 114 graded cornerbacks.
There’s still another layer to his offseason work, too. Nixon is trying to build on his first full season at outside cornerback, and while he tied for sixth in the NFL with 17 pass defenses, he also drew 11 penalties, the second-most among defensive backs.
With Nixon back on the practice field, he and Carrington Valentine are again operating as the starting cornerbacks. Both are also adjusting to Jonathan Gannon’s defensive system after previously playing under Jeff Hafley.
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