One of the biggest games of Week 14 will take place on Sunday when the Green Bay Packers host the Chicago Bears in a pivotal NFC North Clash at Lambeau Field. With first-place on the line in the division, this is a huge game for both sides, but especially for a Packers team that will likely be down their starting safety Javon Bullard, who has been a key part of Green Bay's coverage in the slot by appearing in all 12 games and logging 59 tackles this season.
According to ESPN Packers reporter Rob Demovsky, there was no sign of Bullard at Thursday's practice after the safety was limited on Wednesday because of a lingering ankle injury. Cornerback Nate Hobbs has missed the last four games with a Grade 1 MCL sprain and, while the timeline of his injury could have led to his return in Week 12, the 26-year-old could finally be in line to suit back up and have a shot to redeem himself after what has been an underwhelming season up to this point.
Nate Hobbs Has a Golden Opportunity to Redeem Himself in Javon Bullard's Absence
Hobbs signed a four-year, $48 million deal with the Packers during the offseason, clearly viewed as someone who could thrive in the secondary following the departures of Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes. However, the emergence of Bullard and Carrington Valentine, combined with a below-average Pro Football Focus overall grade of 56.8 from Hobbs, has made that decision look questionable so far.
With Bullard potentially absent from Sunday's game, that really just leaves Valentine and Keisean Nixon as the only two reliable and healthy corners on Green Bay's roster. With the CB depth in question, especially if more injuries pile up, a return from Hobbs would be welcomed as it would provide the Packers with a veteran and an extra body on the field against an eighth-ranked Bears offense (26.1 PPG).
In his first four seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders, Hobbs eclipsed 70 total tackles each of his first three seasons while also tacking on three sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, three interceptions, and 19 passes defended. For someone whom Green Bay counted on to provide a spark to the secondary, it will certainly take anything it can get from him.
Even if he just gives Green Bay similar production to what he showed in Sin City, that would at least help fill the potential void that Bullard would leave behind if he is unable to go on Sunday and be an uptick to Hobbs' 2025 season so far, with 14 catches allowed on 22 targets for 202 yards, two touchdowns, and a putrid 123.7 passer rating. For reference, that's the ninth-worst mark among cornerbacks who've played at least 150 coverage snaps, per PFF.
Assuming Hobbs does make his return against the Bears, his performance during Bullard's absence could have a huge say in his outlook for the rest of the season. If he plays well in relief, that would be massive in a game with massive implications and could be exactly what he needs to turn his season around, giving the Packers confidence that they didn't make a major offseason mistake when they signed him.