The Green Bay Packers are getting ready for the playoffs, but it’s unclear who will be on the team when they finally arrive. Several Packers are either out for the season or are expected to sit on the sidelines for Sunday’s regular season finale against the Minnesota Vikings, and one player whose playoff status is uncertain is cornerback Nate Hobbs.
Hobbs is currently dealing with a knee injury sustained in Saturday’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens, and the hope was that it was a minor injury that would allow him back in time to play in the playoffs. Unfortunately, head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters during Wednesday’s press conference that he doesn’t anticipate him returning in time for the playoffs, according to The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman.
After a rough first season in Green Bay, fans will be quick to wonder if Hobbs has played his last snap with the Packers. But there are also reasons why Hobbs will get a mulligan, and it likely means he’ll return in 2026.
Nate Hobbs Likely to Get 2nd Chance with Packers After Rough 2025
The Packers couldn’t have gotten a worse early return on Hobbs’s three-year, $48 million contract this offseason. Signed to offset the eventual release of Jaire Alexander, Hobbs drew the ire of LaFleur for hitting too hard and injuring MarShawn Lloyd during training camp. Hobbs also battled several injuries, including a torn meniscus and a sprained MCL, before his latest ailment on Saturday.
Things weren’t better when Hobbs was on the field. According to Pro Football Focus, Hobbs allowed 17 catches for 239 yards and two touchdowns on 25 targets, all while opposing quarterbacks racked up a 125.3 passer rating when throwing in his direction.
With an out in his contract after this season, Packers fans can connect the dots and see a way where Hobbs isn’t in Green Bay next year. Conversely, the financial implications suggest there’s a better chance he’ll be wearing green and gold again in 2026.
While the Packers can get out of Hobbs’s deal after one season, it would come with $12 million in dead money and just $1.06 million in savings against the salary cap, according to Spotrac. Unless Hobbs has been that bad in the locker room, it would be a tough pill to swallow if Green Bay released him for minimal gain and had to pay more money to get a replacement in free agency.
Even if the Packers drafted a corner in this scenario, there’s no guarantee that he would be better than Hobbs, giving the front office more incentive to cross their fingers and hope that he has a better year in 2026.
This is where some optimism comes into play. Hobbs’s season was derailed before it even started with his preseason injury, and it’s clear that his knee issues haven’t let up as the season went along. Even if he remains on the roster, his $13 million cap hit is only 4.3% of the projected salary cap, which can be managed if they can figure out a suitable backup plan.
With so many injuries impacting Green Bay this year, keeping Hobbs around may be an attempt to establish depth and competition heading into next season. It’s why there will likely be a second chance on the way, and Hobbs is unlikely to be done with the team after one season.