![Oct 19, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur with cornerback Nate Hobbs (21) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. ]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_151,y_325,w_4226,h_2377/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/325/01kb5zcgg2d7hkn0fmn0.jpg "Oct 19, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur with cornerback Nate Hobbs (21) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. ]")
The Green Bay Packers are looking like the kings of the NFC North after overcoming the rival Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day. The Packers are finding their footing at the right time, winning three straight games; however, everything isn't perfect, as they also lost defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt to a devastating fractured ankle on Thursday afternoon.
Wyatt's absence will be a blow to the defensive front, especially when the unit is already dealing with other issues. While their DT situation is something the Packers will need to figure out, one of their cornerback spots is something else that should catch their attention after Thursday's win.
Cornerback Carrington Valentine didn't put his best foot forward against the Lions, marking his second consecutive dud. While that might mean bad news for his outlook, it could be good news for Nate Hobbs.
Nate Hobbs Could Benefit From Carrington Valentine's Struggles
In Week 13 against the Lions, Valentine finished with a 30.7 overall grade and a 29.6 coverage grade on Pro Football Focus — his worst effort in each category this season. He allowed two catches for 47 receiving yards in the win, but struggled to make some open-field tackles. For the second straight week, he also missed two tackles, which is a clear area that he needs to improve at.
Against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 12, Valentine had a 56.7 overall grade and another measly 23.7 tackling grade. He's been stellar in pass coverage, allowing 20 catches for 239 receiving yards this season, but there's meat on the bone there.
And that's leaving the door for Hobbs to step back into the lineup when he returns from his knee injury. Despite getting $48 million in free agency, Hobbs hasn't been able to produce at a high level for Green Bay. He was playing on one of the boundary corner spots, which isn't where he's at his best, as he tends to excel in the slot.
Nonetheless, if Valentine continues to struggle in certain areas like tackling, the Packers may be inclined to see how Hobbs looks out there again. His missed tackle rate is 13% compared to Valentine's 22.6% percentage, and the time away from the team could be exactly what he needed to put any early-season struggles behind him.
While that may not be a big deal to fans, it should catch their attention. Not taking down a receiver in the open field allows small plays to become chunk ones. It can be the difference between getting off the field on third down to an offense moving the chains to extend the drive. No defense wants that to happen, and Valentine has been a repeat offender.
Although Hobbs was inactive against the Lions, he was limited in the practice week leading up to the game, indicating he's close to returning. While many believe that Valentine should remain the starter, that's far from guaranteed at this point.