Throwing it out there... but should the Bengals target Keisean Nixon of the Packers as a free agent upgrade?
The Packers picked him up off the scrap heap, gave him a tiny contract, and played Amari Rodgers over him for 4-6 weeks. Once Keisean finally got a chance and they cut Rodgers after a million fumbles.... Keisean became an absolute game changer for their team, and was a difference maker in their season turnaround.
If you saw any of the games once he started playing, he was absolutely ELECTRIC!!! Personally, had not seen anyone like him since Devin Hester.
Also... Snoop Doggs nephew.
Aaron Rodgers also acknowledged... he never had anything like Nixon his entire career, "He is the type of player I wish I had over the course of my career because you feel real good going to battle with a guy like that,”Rodgers said in a press conference after the Packers win over the Bears in Week 13.
Per ESPN on the Packers bringing him back: "What they need: To re-sign Nixon. He’s headed for a much bigger payday than his $965,000 minimum salary from last season, when he was named first-team All-Pro as a kick returner, but he’s worth it."
Per PFF, "He regularly set the Packers up in great field position, and like all great returners, it felt like he could score anytime the ball was in his hands."
Nixon, who thrived for the Packers as a kickoff returner, tallied 35 kickoff returns for 1,009 yards and one touchdown that he returned 105 yards. His 1,009 kickoff return yards was the most in the NFL regular season.
For his performance as a kickoff returner, Nixon was named a first-team All-Pro as a kickoff returner by the Associated Press on Jan. 13. He also was named to the Pro Football Focus All-Pro team.
In addition to his stats as a kickoff returner, Nixon also saw time on the field on the Packers’ defense and he would total 23 tackles, force one fumble, intercept one pass and breakup two.
His best game statistically as a kickoff returner, other than returning the kickoff for a touchdown versus the Vikings in Week 17, would come in Week 12 against the Eagles when he tallied five kickoff returns for 172 yards. In the Packers’ loss to the Eagles, Nixon would also record three tackles including one tackle for loss.
(02-17-2023, 02:56 PM)Speedy Thomas Wrote: Let's go to the expert.
Packer Backer, what do you have for us?
I watched almost every Packers game... and I can tell you, hes a legitimate game changer. Watch the highlight reel I posted below.
We saw what a returner did for the Chiefs in the Super Bowl... imagine Joe always having amazing field position off kickoffs. They were green lighting him 5 yards deep into the end zone once they realized what they had, and LaFeleur said he had the green light at all times to take it out, and 9 times out of 10, was insanity what he did for them doing so.
(02-17-2023, 03:43 PM)MC Howley Wrote: I watched almost every Packers game... and I can tell you, hes a legitimate game changer. Watch the highlight reel I posted below.
We saw what a returner did for the Chiefs in the Super Bowl... imagine Joe always having amazing field position off kickoffs. They were green lighting him 5 yards deep into the end zone once they realized what they had, and LaFeleur said he had the green light at all times to take it out, and 9 times out of 10, was insanity what he did for them doing so.
Not sure why we need a great returner? Did we ever have 2 returns in a row without a penalty this season?
I jest, a solid returner eats up yards for the offense. I was hoping we would grab a Mims, Parker Washington or Tyler Scott type in the draft, but this guy works.
(02-17-2023, 04:03 PM)casear2727 Wrote: Not sure why we need a great returner? Did we ever have 2 returns in a row without a penalty this season?
I jest, a solid returner eats up yards for the offense. I was hoping we would grab a Mims, Parker Washington or Tyler Scott type in the draft, but this guy works.
Well, we are one of the worst Return teams in the league, this actually would be a great pick up for us if we could grab him.
It IS one of our weaknesses. Nice thread MC Howley...
Would love to bring this guy in along with an OT in FA.
(02-17-2023, 04:15 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Well, we are one of the worst Return teams in the league, this actually would be a great pick up for us if we could grab him.
It IS one of our weaknesses. Nice thread MC Howley...
Would love to bring this guy in along with an OT in FA.
I live in Green Bay now, so I am always brainstorming how to steal the local talent and bring them to the Bengals haha!!
My thought is... he won't break the bank, and would be an absolute game changer. Also, someone that nobody is really talking about at all nationally, not on any Top 50 FA list or anything. Which is wild because he is unrestricted. Likely takes on a small deal I bet, $3-5 million at the most? Hard to comp someone like him.
Also wild he was on the Raiders when we played them in the playoffs in 2022... but he was only playing CB, not returning kicks.
(02-17-2023, 04:15 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Well, we are one of the worst Return teams in the league, this actually would be a great pick up for us if we could grab him.
It IS one of our weaknesses. Nice thread MC Howley...
Would love to bring this guy in along with an OT in FA.
Also... a GIANT theme of Packers fans on the bad season was... them being angry at LaFleur and the STs staff... being "WHY DIDN'T YOU GUYS PLAY THIS DUDE SOONER!?"
Was a growing negative sentiment among their fan base of a massive mistake they made and missed opportunity that potentially, would have got them in the playoffs.
(02-17-2023, 04:19 PM)MC Howley Wrote: I live in Green Bay now, so I am always brainstorming how to steal the local talent and bring them to the Bengals haha!!
My thought is... he won't break the bank, and would be an absolute game changer. Also, someone that nobody is really talking about at all nationally, not on any Top 50 FA list or anything. Which is wild because he is unrestricted. Likely takes on a small deal I bet, $3-5 million at the most? Hard to comp someone like him.
Also wild he was on the Raiders when we played them in the playoffs in 2022... but he was only playing CB, not returning kicks.
Yeah, I remember him as I watched quite a few Packers games last season and he stood out big time. He is secure with the ball #1 in
what you want in a Returner, he has great vision, burst, speed and quicks in space and like you said, wouldn't cost a ton. I bet the Pack
bring Nixon back especially with what Rodgers said about him in your OP, but hey, they make bonehead decisions at times, that FO.
(02-17-2023, 04:24 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yeah, I remember him as I watched quite a few Packers games last season and he stood out big time. He is secure with the ball #1 in
what you want in a Returner, he has great vision, burst, speed and quicks in space and like you said, wouldn't cost a ton. I bet the Pack
bring Nixon back especially with what Rodgers said about him in your OP, but hey, they make bonehead decisions at times, that FO.
Legit, Rodgers was smirking clearly thinking "holy shit" every time this guy rang off 40-50 yard punt returns so excited as he was putting his helmet on getting ready to go on the field..... BUT, then usually, they went out there and went 3 and out and chucked a long bomb on 3 and 1 that went incomplete lol.
Found an article where Packers fans are trying to figure out what he is going to want or will get for his contract.
"If I were Nixon’s agent, I would point to what Berrios got last season, a two-year, $12 million contract with a $5.5 million signing bonus and $1.5 million in guaranteed salary, as a comparison. It’s harder to make the case that Hines, the only other significantly paid fifth-year returner, signed his contract to be a special teamer. For reference, Hines has 305 carries and 239 receptions in his NFL career. On the flip side, Berrios has only registered 106 receptions in his career despite actually playing “receiver” on paper."
(02-17-2023, 05:07 PM)MC Howley Wrote: Found an article where Packers fans are trying to figure out what he is going to want or will get for his contract.
"If I were Nixon’s agent, I would point to what Berrios got last season, a two-year, $12 million contract with a $5.5 million signing bonus and $1.5 million in guaranteed salary, as a comparison. It’s harder to make the case that Hines, the only other significantly paid fifth-year returner, signed his contract to be a special teamer. For reference, Hines has 305 carries and 239 receptions in his NFL career. On the flip side, Berrios has only registered 106 receptions in his career despite actually playing “receiver” on paper."
(02-17-2023, 05:05 PM)MC Howley Wrote: Legit, Rodgers was smirking clearly thinking "holy shit" every time this guy rang off 40-50 yard punt returns so excited as he was putting his helmet on getting ready to go on the field..... BUT, then usually, they went out there and went 3 and out and chucked a long bomb on 3 and 1 that went incomplete lol.
We sure would be blown away to have our Returner getting Burrow a short field like that once in awhile. Been awhile.
The Packers Offense was pretty awful this season for sure. Helped when the speedy rookie WR finally started catching those deep balls.
(02-17-2023, 05:07 PM)MC Howley Wrote: Found an article where Packers fans are trying to figure out what he is going to want or will get for his contract.
"If I were Nixon’s agent, I would point to what Berrios got last season, a two-year, $12 million contract with a $5.5 million signing bonus and $1.5 million in guaranteed salary, as a comparison. It’s harder to make the case that Hines, the only other significantly paid fifth-year returner, signed his contract to be a special teamer. For reference, Hines has 305 carries and 239 receptions in his NFL career. On the flip side, Berrios has only registered 106 receptions in his career despite actually playing “receiver” on paper."
We should be able to afford something close to that if we make the needed cuts, namely Mixon. Have to get the OT in FA though.
But no mistake we are severely lacking in the return game, I like Trayveon Williams and Trent Taylor but their numbers are near the
bottom of the returners in the NFL. I would like to have sure hands to go with a gamebreaker in Nixon.
(02-17-2023, 07:00 PM)MC Howley Wrote: So did Ohio State, how did that pan out for LSU and Joe Burrow?
Seriously? That's not quite an "apples to apples" comparison, in the least. Burrow missed his shot as a starter at OSU, because of an injury that hampered him through the Spring that year. Justin Fields was healthy, got the reps and won the job. What you're talking about is a back of the roster DB, who spent 3 previous seasons on another NFL team, that found his niche on the final year of a rookie contract, on a team that was desperate to make something happen.
Volson is meh, but I like him, and he has far exceeded my expectations
(02-17-2023, 07:22 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Seriously? That's not quite an "apples to apples" comparison, in the least. Burrow missed his shot as a starter at OSU, because of an injury that hampered him through the Spring that year. Justin Fields was healthy, got the reps and won the job. What you're talking about is a back of the roster DB, who spent 3 previous seasons on another NFL team, that found his niche on the final year of a rookie contract, on a team that was desperate to make something happen.
I mean just saying because one team is an idiot with a certain person and fumbles the situation... saying he cant be good to me is a miss. He just proved it in the NFL at the highest level, and got all the accolades, MISSING A BUNCH OF GAMES! The Raiders were a shit show, and didn't use him correctly. And the Packers did the same. Only reason he got a chance there, is their ST coordinator was the Raiders interim HC and knew he had something and brought him over.
The guy was hungry, and the miss use made him better and more hungry.
Go watch the games, this dude is a game changer as a returner. If we get him, would be epic!