During an appearance on ESPN Milwaukee last week, Jason Wilde said he “cannot say that with any degree of high confidence” that Keisean Nixon will play the 2026 season under his current deal. Nixon previously told The Athletic that he intends to seek a raise this offseason. With no new agreement in place, the Green Bay Packers may soon have another contract situation to navigate.
“Most likely. We’ll see. I don’t know. We’ll see,” Nixon said during locker room cleanout. “I’ll talk to my agent and stuff like that, but I love Green Bay. This is where I wanna be. I don’t really wanna go nowhere else, so we’ll see. We’ll have talks, for sure, but this is definitely where I wanna be.”
Keisean Nixon is no stranger to negotiating contracts with the Packers. Since arriving in Green Bay, he has signed three separate deals, including a three-year extension in 2024. At the time, his value was largely tied to his All-Pro production as a return specialist, while he served in a limited role on defense.
Two years later, Nixon has established himself as a full-time starter at cornerback, making his current situation much different than it was when he last put pen to paper.
“I think I played really well this year, accomplished all my goals that I set always, like I always tell you guys,” Nixon told Sports Illustrated. “Set the standard for myself, but I think I played really good this year.”
The two-time All-Pro is scheduled to earn $5 million in 2026, with a cap hit of $7.166 million. That’s a relatively modest figure for a cornerback operating as a full-time starter.
Last season, No. 25 allowed seven touchdown passes, which tied him for the eighth-most among all cornerbacks, while finishing the year with just one interception. Opposing quarterbacks also had success when targeting him. They completed 62.5% of their passes, the lowest mark of his career, and posted a 105.4 passer rating against him.
There were also moments last season where Nixon’s decision-making came under scrutiny. One of the most notable examples came in Green Bay’s playoff loss to the Chicago Bears, when D’Andre Swift broke free for a short touchdown run. Nixon appeared to be in position to challenge the play near the goal line. However, instead of initiating contact, he avoided the collision and allowed Swift to score untouched.
Nixon is set to turn 29 next week, which adds another wrinkle to any long-term decision the Packers might consider, especially after a season in which he regressed. Historically, Green Bay tends to get ahead of contracts for younger players who are trending up, sometimes even extending deals with a year still left when they believe in the trajectory. Nixon, however, doesn’t really fit that profile.
Moreover, the Packers have also added Brandon Cisse and Domani Jackson through the draft, along with Brandon St-Juste in free agency. With those additions in place, the team is not in a position where it needs to rush into a decision on the 2025 Pro Bowler.
Green Bay holds far more leverage in any potential negotiations than Keisean Nixon does at this stage. Therefore, it’s difficult to see Nixon remaining in Titletown for much longer. From a roster-building standpoint, that may ultimately be the right outcome for the organization.
