Paul Bretl | 5/20/2025
GREEN BAY, Wis. — While the Packers have some unknowns right now at cornerback, one specific position where they have several different players they could lean on is at the nickel.
Starting options for the Packers in the slot include Keisean Nixon, Nate Hobbs, and Javon Bullard. So, how will Jeff Hafley determine who takes those snaps?
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In today’s pass-heavy NFL, the nickel defender is a de facto starter, often on the field for two-thirds of the defensive snaps in any given game. Unlike on the outside, where there is additional time to react, when playing in the slot, everything happens much more quickly, not to mention that being a capable run defender becomes a much more important quality for that player to have.
“Just the ball, the timing of the ball comes to you fast,” said Nixon on playing the nickel vs. outside. “You don’t really have time to look at–like read formations in nickel. You gotta react. At corner you can read routes and you have timing and breaking on balls. It’s just different.”
It is different, or drastically different, as defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley said last season. So the fact that the Packers have two cornerbacks in Nixon and Hobbs who can handle either responsibility isn’t common, and maximizing that versatility can be an advantage for Jeff Hafley from a schematic standpoint.
So circling back to the original question of ‘who starts at the nickel,’ there probably isn’t any one answer to that question. Instead, it’s going to be dependent upon the matchup and what the in-game situation is.
“I see Nate can play outside and Nate can play inside,” Jeff Hafley said. “So we’re going to have him do both. His film was, you know, when you’re getting ready for free agency and you’re evaluating tape, it’s one thing that you love about him. He’s had a lot of success inside, and I thought his tape outside was equally as good.”
Perhaps the easiest solution comes if Nixon and Hobbs are the primary outside cornerbacks, which would allow Bullard to fill the nickel role. However, even if that is the case, I don’t envision that being a static alignment either.
We could see a scenario where, during obvious passing situations, one of Nixon or Hobbs slides inside with Carrington Valentine taking over at one of the outside positions. Then, on more run-heavy downs, Bullard could potentially be the nickel in those down-and-distance situations.
The week-to-week decision could also be matchup-driven. If there are instances where the opponent has their tight end or a bigger-bodied wideout in the slot often, that could be an opportunity for Bullard to take more nickel snaps that week. Whereas with a more traditional slot presence, Hafley could opt to put one of his cornerbacks in that role.
“We knew with Javon he had the positional flex, he had the versatility,” said defensive pass game coordinator Ryan Downard. “We knew that, and we verified that last year. .. “I think Javon, he did a great job playing violently. I mean, that guy plays the game the right way.”
This versatility element that the Packers have at the nickel is quite prominent throughout their entire secondary and can be an added stressor for opponents to contend with.
A versatile defense can put a lot on the plate for an opposing offense. From a preparation standpoint, there’s a lot to watch and be ready for throughout the week when the defense is putting a variety of looks on tape.
Then pre-snap, quarterbacks won’t as easily get a beat on what’s coming based solely on where defenders are lined up because it’s either a different look or where players are aligned could change once the ball is snapped.
“I think the possibilities are endless,” said Downard about the nickel position. “I think the more guys that you have that can play more positions the better off you are. You’re more versatile. Offenses don’t know who’s going to line up where. You can cater it to what they do. You can cater it to what we do. You can cater to what type of defense we’re in, more of a coverage defense, more of a run defense, with just so many different variables. There’s a lot of different combinations to answer the question.”
To state the obvious, there is plenty of time for these decisions to be worked out, and what Hafley decides on for Week 1 doesn’t mean that’s how things will remain for the entire season. But when it comes to this position, the Packers have given themselves options, and options are a good thing.