Packers coach backs Keisean Nixon into a corner after baffling comments

Keisean Nixon's primary job for the Green Bay Packers will be to serve as a starter at outside cornerback. His coaching staff wants more from him. They want him to continue to return kicks in 2025 even if that isn't something the young defensive back is interested in.

Nixon was very clear to the media that he did not want to continue in his role as the team's primary kick returner after their playoff loss to the Eagles. Presumably, he wants to focus all of his time and attention on getting better as a cover corner.

Count Green Bay's special teams coordinator as one person who vehemently disagrees with Nixon's desire to stop returning kicks. He told media members in Green Bay this week that he expects the 27-year-old cornerback to "be in the mix" as a returner for the Packers next season.

Keisean Nixon may not have a choice about returning kicks

Nixon's best chance at avoiding kickoff duties is for Mecole Hardman to find a way to make the 53-man roster. He's arguably the most accomplished returner on the current roster. The challenge for Hardman will be finding a way to crack the team's two-deep at the wide receiver position. Drafting Matthew Golden did not do anything to boost Hardman's chances of carving out a home in Green Bay next season.

Jayden Reed is the other internal option to supplant Nixon as the team's top kick returner. He has the explosive athletic ability required to produce big plays with the ball in his hands but the team's offensive staff might want him to focus his energy on thriving as the team's starting slot receiver. It's a big year for Reed if he wants to cement his long-term future with the franchise that drafted him.

Nixon's work on special teams is further complicated by continuing uncertainty regarding Jaire Alexander's future with the team. Nixon is not battling him for a starting spot, but he might need to operate as the team's No. 1 corner if Alexander can't get on the same page with the higher-ups in Green Bay. That could heap too much pressure on Nixon to also divert his attention on becoming a more dynamic kick returner.

The one certainty in all this is that the Packers are going to expect Nixon to do whatever is in the team's best interest. They remain one of the most "team first" organizations in the modern NFL. Nixon is a good player but he lacks the star power required to bend the coaching staff to his will. If they tell Nixon he needs to continue to return kicks next season then he'll do it to make sure he reamins in everyone's good graces.

It is reasonable to expect the Packers to start looking for a new option at kick returner. They could scour the free agent wire during the preseason to bring in a player who profiles as a primary return guy. They would love for that player to contribute outside of special teams but it's possible they could look for a gunner/returner when teams start to make their final cuts ahead of Week 1's arrival.

Special teams will be a key part of the Packers' plans to move up the NFC North standings next year. Fine margins will separate Green Bay from the likes of the Lions and Vikings inside their own division. Finding a way to squeeze an extra explosive return or two out of a guy like Nixon could be the difference between a division title and a wild card berth for the Packers in 2025.

Higher-ups in Green Bay would still rather players like Nixon keep their own wishes about their roles on the team to themselves. Nixon's public desire to stop returning kicks puts his coaching staff under undue pressure. It's a conversation he could have had behind closed doors. That might have been a better route for Nixon to take if he really didn't want to continue to operate on special teams.

At the very least, Nixon's status as a kick returner is something Packers fans should keep an eye on during the preseason. Expect the coaching staff to try out a number of different options before returning to Nixon as their primary operator. He will remain a safety blanket for the team but there could be superior options the Packers should explore.