As we enter the second day of the NFL’s legal tampering period, the Green Bay Packers have decided to end the Nate Hobbs era after one season. According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, the Packers are releasing the veteran cornerback. ESPN’s Rob Demovsky adds that Hobbs’ departure will be designated as a post-June 1 release.
With the Packers taking that specific route with Hobbs, they would only be on the hook for $4 million in dead money for the 2026 season. However, Green Bay will pick up $8.8 million in cap savings, per Over The Cap.
As for 2027 and 2028, dead money will again be $4 million, but cap savings will increase to $10.1 million and $10.7 million. Needless to say, the Packers' decision to move on from Hobbs does not come as a surprise, given his disappointing performance in 2025, which saw him get benched for Carrington Valentine.
Despite his struggles in Green Bay, Hobbs might be able to find a job rather quickly, and one team that could be of particular interest is the Miami Dolphins.
Jeff Hafley Could Bring Nate Hobbs to Miami After Failed Packers’ Stint
As we know, former Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley is the new head coach of the Dolphins. Along with Hafley, Jon-Eric Sullivan, who was with the Packers for 22 years, is the new GM in Miami.
Those two in particular could easily roll out the red carpet for the 26-year-old Hobbs, as Miami desperately needs to retool its secondary. They have several free agents, including in the slot, where Hobbs has had the most success in his career.
Before the 2025 season began, Hafley had nothing but great things to say about Hobbs’ skills in May 2025 and what he brings to the table as a cornerback.
"(Hobbs) is competitive, he's tough, he is physical, he plays the game fast. You can tell he loves it. It just jumps off the tape," Hafley said via Packers Wire's Zach Kruse. "I don't know if you guys watched any of it, but it certainly jumps off the tape the way the guy plays. And he's been a great addition, and he does give you that versatility where you can move him around. And again, I'm a big fan of that."
Fast forward to the end of the season, and Hafley got an up-close look at Hobbs. That versatility did not pay off, as he struggled on the outside, leading to him being benched. There wasn’t any room for him in the slot, his natural position, as the Packers have Javon Bullard. It also did not help that Hobbs was banged up, which forced him to miss six games.
In 11 games with the Packers, Hobbs recorded 27 combined tackles, two tackles for loss, and two pass deflections. Opposing quarterbacks only completed 65.5 percent of their passes vs. Hobbs, who only gave up two receiving touchdowns, but had an abhorrent 111.1 passer rating when targeted.
Even though his Packers’ tenure was a disaster and will go down as one of the worst free agent signings in recent memory, Hobbs still has a chance to redeem himself, and that could be with the Dolphins.
Miami won’t have the same success as Green Bay in 2026. But for Hobbs, if he can get back to playing as he did in his final year with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024, he could rebuild his stock after not living up to the expectations of a four-year deal.