The Green Bay Packers are not expecting to have veteran cornerback Nate Hobbs — one of their biggest free-agent signings of the offseason — available for the rest of the 2025 season or their run in the NFL playoffs after his latest injury.
Hobbs sustained a knee injury in the first half of Week 17’s game against the Baltimore Ravens and did not return for the remainder of the team’s 41-24 loss, raising concerns about the condition and availability of the 26-year-old cornerback moving forward.
Unfortunately for the Packers, head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed on New Year’s Eve that the team is not anticipating either Hobbs or fellow injured defensive back Zayne Anderson to return from their injuries in time to help the team in the NFL playoffs.
“We’re kind of going through that stuff, but I would not anticipate [them returning],” LaFleur said on December 31 when asked if Hobbs or Anderson would return.
Signing Nate Hobbs Looks Like Mistake for Packers
With Hobbs now out for the season, the Packers can fully evaluate what the 26-year-old cornerback brought to their roster in the first year of the four-year, $48 million contract that he signed with them in 2025 free agency. And the results are … far from ideal.
Injury troubles have haunted Hobbs for most of his career, and 2025 was no different. He had a minor surgery in August to address a meniscus tear in his right knee, one that held him out of the final three weeks of training camp and Week 1’s opener. The knee also limited him to just four snaps in Week 8 and held him out Weeks 10 through 14.
All told, Hobbs played just 358 defensive snaps for the Packers over his 11 appearances, finishing with career-lows marks in total tackles (27) and pass deflections (two). They also seemed reluctant to have him in the starting lineup, giving him just five starts.
Unfortunately for Hobbs, the Packers will have an opportunity to cut bait with him in 2026 if they are having second thoughts about his fit with their team. He has a $6.25 million roster bonus that is due on the third day of the new league year in March, giving them an early opportunity to get out of his contract and take on a chunk of dead cap.
The Packers might prefer to give him a second chance and avoid the dead-cap charges, but it all depends on how they go about rebuilding their cornerback position in 2026.
How Will Packers Survive at Cornerback in NFL Playoffs?
Speaking of the cornerback position, the Packers are in a bad way with just one more game left before they open the playoffs against the NFC’s No. 2 seed — which could be either the Chicago Bears or Philadelphia Eagles, depending on Week 18’s results.
The Packers have veteran Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine to start for them on the perimeter, but the only other cornerbacks on their roster are Bo Melton — who has acted as a two-way receiver and cornerback in 2025 — and the two second-year guys they called up from the practice squad: Shemar Bartholomew and Jaylin Simpson.
That’s a shallow group for the playoffs, even with standout safety Javon Bullard holding down the nickel role for their defense.
While the Packers may leave things as they are for their stakeless final game against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18, they would be wise to explore their free-agent options before their first playoff games. Several capable veterans are on the market, including recently released Dallas Cowboys veteran and former All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs.
Packers’ $48 Million Starter Likely Out for NFL Playoffs After Injury