Breaking Down the Nate Hobbs Signing: An Added Piece for the Packers’ Defense
A defensive chess move
Nate Hobbs, a former Raiders cornerback, was just signed as a free agent addition to the Green Bay Packers' secondary. Hobbs joins Green Bay as a defensive back with a four-year, $48 million contract ($16 million guaranteed), capable of helping Jeff Hafley's defense to elite levels. Let's look at what makes Hobbs' signing significant and his fit into this changing defensive landscape for the Green Bay Packers.
The Defensive Chessboard: A Secondary in Flux
The Packers’ defensive backfield has been an evolving puzzle, some pieces polished, others crumbling. Jaire Alexander, once the franchise’s shutdown corner, teeters on the edge of trade rumors. Eric Stokes and Corey Ballentine are free agents. Keisean Nixon has reinvented himself as an outside corner, but will probably return to the slot. Meanwhile, Javon Bullard (Green Bay’s 2024 second-round pick) has the skillset to stay in the nickel.
Enter Nate Hobbs. The 25-year-old former Raider, a fifth-round pick turned defensive Swiss Army knife, brings flexibility to the secondary. With 51 games and 38 starts under his belt.
Over four NFL seasons, Hobbs has played over 1,600 snaps in the slot and almost 800 on the perimeter, per Pro Football Focus. The expectation is that Hobbs will play on the perimeter in Green Bay.
His resume: 281 tackles, 3 interceptions, 19 passes defended, and 14 tackles for loss. His metrics: 6’1”, 195 pounds, a 4.48 40-yard dash, and a 40.5-inch vertical.
Versatility as a Weapon
In 2024, Hobbs played 304 snaps in the slot, 104 outside, and 116 in the box. He isn’t tethered to one role, he’s a moveable corner that defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley can unleash.
Now onto some nerd analytics/metrics: Hobbs ranked 11th in Coverage EPA (-15.6) among defensive backs targeted at least 40 times. He allowed just 31 catches for 280 yards over 318 coverage snaps. His tackling ability (82 career stops) adds another layer, helping patch up a Green Bay defense that has struggled against slot receivers and tight ends last season.
Hobbs has slot/perimeter versatility. So does Nixon. Bullard played in the slot and at safety as a rookie. And Evan Williams also has experience playing the slot dating back to college. When injuries hit, and they always do in an NFL secondary, the Packers will have the versatility to mix and match so the best players are always on the field.
Let me give you a chess analogy: Hobbs is the knight, striking from unexpected angles, disrupting offenses before they can settle. With Nixon holding down the slot and Valentine staying on the outside, the Packers’ secondary transforms into something fluid and unpredictable.
Road to Relevance
A fifth-rounder out of Illinois, he fought for his place in the league, flashing elite potential as a rookie (80.1 PFF grade) before battling injuries that cost him 16 games over three seasons.
Now, Green Bay isn’t just giving him a second chance, they’re betting that his resilience fuels his rise. Sure, his 15.7% missed tackle rate and career passer rating allowed (102.1) raise questions. But context matters. He was often left exposed in a flawed Raiders defense, facing high target volume with minimal help. In Hafley’s system, with McKinney backing him up and hoping to have a revitalized front seven applying pressure, Hobbs is primed to get better.
The addition of Hobbs shouldn't prevent the Packers from adding to the cornerback position via the draft. Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes are almost assuredly departing this offseason, and Corey Ballentine and Robert Rochell are also free agents. Hobbs is likely just the first step of a positional makeover.
Health and Potential
No move is perfect. Hobbs’ durability is a concern—he missed six games in 2024 alone. Can he handle a 17-game slate? And while his $48 million contract isn’t back-breaking (only $16 million guaranteed), it’s still a bet that he can maintain his peak performance.
Yet, Green Bay isn’t paying for past production, they’re investing in what Hobbs can become. At 26 next season, he enters his prime with a chance to thrive in a system that can boosts his strengths.
The Final Move
Nate Hobbs isn’t a household name like Xavier McKinney or Josh Jacobs, but that’s precisely why this move works. General manager Brian Gutekunst has a knack for unearthing hidden gems, and Hobbs fits the mold of a player ready to explode in the right environment.
There’s precedent here. Nixon went from Raiders afterthought to Green Bay cornerstone. Jacobs boosted his career in a new system. Now Hobbs has a chance to follow that same path, proving that the Packers have mastered the art of refinement. (Specifically for Raider players, oddly enough).
Like a well-timed checkmate, this move isn’t flashy, but it could ultimately tip the balance in Green Bay’s favor.