The Green Bay Packers‘ most expensive free-agent bust from the 2025 offseason has already landed a new deal with an NFL playoff rival following his release.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, former Packers cornerback Nate Hobbs is signing a one-year deal worth up to $4.5 million with the San Francisco 49ers, finding his new team just two days after the Packers cut their losses with him on March 10.
“The 49ers are signing CB Nate Hobbs to a one-year deal worth up to $4.5 million, per source,” Pelissero wrote late Thursday night on X. “Released by Green Bay on Tuesday, Hobbs lands swiftly in San Francisco.”
The Packers had hoped Hobbs would play an integral role in their realigned secondary in 2025 when they signed him to a four-year, $48 million contract in NFL free agency, but a combination of injury troubles and poor performance led to the team cutting ties after only one season. He made five starts in 11 games, recording career-low numbers.
Now, Hobbs will head to the Niners to attempt to revitalize his career while the Packers are left footing some of the bill. The 26-year-old cornerback left behind $4 million in dead cap in 2026 and another $8 million in dead cap in 2027 when Green Bay cut him.
Packers’ Big Gamble on Nate Hobbs Failed to Pay Off
The Packers took a big gamble on Hobbs in 2025, giving the former Las Vegas Raiders their second-largest contract of free agency and counting on him as a primary starter.
The known risk about Hobbs — his availability — did not take long to emerge, though.
Before signing with the Packers, Hobbs had never played a full season in his first four years in the league, playing a career-high 16 games as a rookie but appearing in 13 or fewer in each of his subsequent seasons due to injuries. His health issues persisted in Green Bay as he endured three different knee injuries, including one in training camp.
Not only did Hobbs have trouble staying on the field, but the Packers also tried to play him out of position when he was available. Green Bay seemed to think that Hobbs fit better as a boundary cornerback, but he has played primarily in the slot over his first four seasons with the Raiders. As a result, he allowed a 125.3 passer rating in coverage.
Now, the Packers are back to square one with cornerback needs still high on the list.
How Will Packers Rebuild at Cornerback for 2026?
The Packers will return two of their top three cornerbacks in 2026 between Carrington Valentine and Keisean Nixon, but the question remains: How will the Packers attempt to right the ship and rebuild at the cornerback position for the upcoming campaign?
In 2025, the Packers underinvested. While they spent a nice chunk of change on Hobbs, they only made one investment in the cornerback position in the NFL draft, cashing in a seventh-round selection on Tulane’s Micah Robinson — who started the 2025 season on the practice squad before the Tennessee Titans swiped him for themselves in October.
Thus far, Green Bay’s approach has not been much different in 2026. Through the first several days of free-agent negotiations, the Packers have only signed one cornerback: Benjamin St-Juste, a 47-game starter between stints in Washington and Los Angeles.
Given how limited the Packers were at cornerback in 2025, though, it seems more likely than not that they will adopt a more aggressive strategy in the 2026 NFL draft when it comes to acquiring more cornerback help. They do not own a first-round selection, but they do have the rest of their picks along with an additional seventh compensatory pick.
Packers’ $48 Million Free-Agent Bust Lands With NFC Playoff Rival