EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsGREEN BAY, Wis. -- When training camp opened, there appeared to be one cornerback spot settled. Keisean Nixon, who started every game last season and was one of three Green Bay Packers to play more than 1,000 snaps on defense, had the left side spot locked down.That would leave three players to fight for the right cornerback spot: returning starter Carrington Valentine, veteran free agent Benjamin St-Juste and rookie second-round pick Brandon Cisse.Two weeks into camp, everything about the cornerback position appears to have flipped.Going into Thursday's preseason opener at the Pittsburgh Steelers (7 p.m. ET, NFL Network), Cisse looks like he has the inside track to a starting spot and Nixon might be in a fight for the other. Cisse has been a regular with the defensive starters at right cornerback ever since Valentine dropped out of practice because of a hamstring injury Aug. 2.It's both a validation of what the Packers thought they had when they used their top draft pick (No. 52 overall) on Cisse and a question about whether they need to upgrade from Nixon, who despite leading the NFL with 15 pass breakups also led all defensive backs in penalties (13, including those accepted and declined), according to ESPN Research."Everything's a competition right now," coach Matt LaFleur said of the cornerbacks. "So we're going to put different guys in different situations in different spots and see how they respond."Day after day, Cisse has gone up against the Packers' top receivers and held his own. In one practice this week, Cisse broke up a pass intended for receiver Christian Watson on the sideline but also gave up a completion to Watson. It's all part of the learning process for the rookie."I think it's helped me tremendously to go against somebody that talented every day," Cisse said. "It helps that his locker is right next to mine, being able to pick his brain and him being able to pick my brain on certain techniques that he may see."Every day just trying to make sure you go against somebody like that is going to make you a lot better. I'm going to be able to challenge him because he wants to be the best and I want to be the best. That's kind of what I strive for is to try and learn from him and continue to grow and try to take on that matchup. He's somebody I look up to in ways. He's been great to me ever since I got here."Cisse claims he'd be lying if he said he expected to start on opening day against the Minnesota Vikings."I didn't think like that," he said.He might be too humble to do so."My job as a rookie is just to sit back and learn," Cisse said. "I understand my role. I just try to be a professional about my business every day and just try to come in and be a pro, work out my daily habits, and just soak up as much information from everybody around me. Because those guys have been in the fire and I'm still a young guy who needs to learn every day. So I'm just trying to be a sponge."One of those guys he has tried to learn from is safety Javon Bullard.Bullard, who was also a second-round pick, quickly worked his way into a starting role as a rookie two years ago."I think what really makes him special is just his willingness to learn from people, different coaches, different teammates," Bullard said. "He's really a sponge. I think it's crucial for a young player to come in and learn because you learn with experience. He's a great football player nonetheless, but that experience matters in this league. And I think he's coming in here and just being a sponge, soaking up that knowledge from any and everybody, and I think he's going to be special. He's going to make a lot of plays for us for sure."If there was a picture in the dictionary next to "ideal teammate," Cisse's headshot might be there."He is an A-plus human and he loves football," LaFleur said. "I think every time he goes out there there's a lot of good things, and then there's a lot of teachable moments. But I think he's a guy that the sky's the limit for him."As for a potential cornerback pairing of Cisse and Nixon, that's still to be determined. For two days of practice this week, Nixon appeared to be facing a demotion. He took reps with the second- and third-string defensive units. But in the final practice in advance of the preseason opener, Nixon was back with the first group.Still, it's not off the table that if the Packers decide Nixon isn't a starter, they might want to move on. Nixon has expressed a desire to be paid like a No. 1 cornerback, but the Packers haven't budged. He's in the final year of a contract that will pay him $5 million this season, which is on the low end for a veteran starter at his position.St-Juste, who signed a two-year, $10 million contract in March, also has been impressive and could find his way into a significant role with or without Nixon around.But for now, it appears the most settled thing about the cornerback spot is Cisse."Obviously we took him where we took him," new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon said. "He's got the skill set that we're looking for, and he's doing a good job of when he makes a mistake -- mistakes are going to happen, especially for young guys in a new scheme, this a new scheme for him as it is all our guys -- mistakes are OK, just don't make it the same mistake again."
