Packers re-sign CB Keisean Nixon and RB AJ Dillon
(KEY-shawn) Nixon, who played three seasons for the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders (2019-21) before playing for the Packers for the past two seasons, has played in 74 career regular-season games with 19 starts. On defense, he has recorded 116 tackles (87 solo), four tackles for a loss, three QB hits, two interceptions, nine passes defensed and a forced fumble. On special teams, Nixon has registered 25 tackles, returned 71 kickoffs for 1,875 yards (26.4 avg.) and a TD and totaled 235 yards on 25 punt returns (9.4 avg.) during his career. He has also played in three postseason games with one start over his career. Last season, Nixon set career highs in games started (13), tackles (79), solo tackles (58), tackles for a loss (three) and passes defensed (six).
In his first two seasons with the Packers, Nixon was named first-team All-Pro by The Associated Press each year. He became the fourth kick returner to receive AP honors in back-to-back years, joining Cordarrelle Patterson (2019-20), Devin Hester (2006-07) and Mel Gray (1990-91). Nixon was the first Packer kick returner to earn a spot on the AP All-Pro team since it added the position in 1976. He was also named to the All-NFL and All-NFC teams by the Pro Football Writers of America as a kick returner over the last two seasons, becoming just the second kick returner in franchise history to be selected to the All-NFL teams by the PFWA (KR Roell Preston in 1998). Nixon was also selected for the NFLPA Players’ All-Pro team as a kick returner this past season. In 2022-23, he joined Al Carmichael (1956-57) as the only players in team history to lead the NFL in kickoff return yards in back-to-back seasons (min. 20 att.). Nixon was just the second player in team history to post 750-plus yards on kickoff returns in back-to-back seasons (2022-23), joining Randall Cobb (2011-12).
Dillon, who originally was selected by the Packers in the second round (No. 62 overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Boston College, has played in 60 games with 11 starts for Green Bay during the regular season. He has registered 2,428 yards on 597 carries (4.1 avg.) with 16 touchdowns while recording 86 receptions for 763 yards (8.9 avg.) with two TDs. Dillon has also appeared in three postseason contests for Green Bay, recording 16 carries for 69 yards (4.3 avg.) with a TD and one reception for 13 yards (13.0 avg.). He was one of only two running backs in the league (Steelers RB Najee Harris) to rush for 750-plus yards and play in all 17 regular-season games in 2021 and 2022.
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