It's hard to believe that the first week of NFL free agency is almost over. The Green Bay Packers have experienced a relatively quiet start to the festivities, only making two outside additions so far: offensive guard Aaron Banks and cornerback Nate Hobbs, who were both signed to four-year deals that combined for $125 million.
When it comes to Hobbs, the Packers haven't wasted any time welcoming him to the fold. The veteran ballhawk confirmed that several Green Bay players have congratulated him on his signing, including fellow CB Jaire Alexander.
Hobbs' Packers rollout continued on Thursday with his jersey number announcement — a decision that Green Bay fans will likely love.
Packers Jersey News: CB Nate Hobbs to Wear No. 21 in Green Bay
On Thursday afternoon, Hobbs posted an Instagram story from the Packers facilities. The posting showed an image of the 25-year-old defender in a Green Bay jersey wearing No. 21, which is a notable change from the No. 39 he wore with the Las Vegas Raiders.
According to Pro Football Reference, 30 players in Packers history wore No. 21 before Hobbs. While that list includes names like Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Bob Jeter, and, most recently, Eric Stokes, it didn't take long for Green Bay fans to think of Pro Football Hall of Famer Charles Woodson after Hobbs posted his story.
Woodson spent seven of his 18 NFL seasons with the Packers, which ended up being the best years of his career.
The former Michigan Wolverine played 100 games in a Green Bay jersey from 2006 to 2012, racking up 384 solo tackles, 99 defended passes, 38 interceptions (including nine Pick-6s), 15 forced fumbles, and 11.5 sacks. He racked up a plethora of accolades during that run, including four Pro Bowl nods, two first-team All-Pro appearances, the 2009 AP Defensive Player of the Year award, and — most importantly — a Super Bowl 45 ring.
Interestingly enough, Woodson also took a similar career path as the Packers' newest signee. Both cornerbacks played for Big Ten college programs, with Woodson coming from Michigan and Hobbs getting his start at Illinois. The duo was also drafted by the Raiders before ultimately making their way to America's Dairyland.
Having said that, Hobbs has pretty big shoes to fill if he even wants to match a fraction of Woodson's accomplishments. The Louisville, KY native has yet to achieve an individual NFL accolade and is coming off a 2024 campaign that saw him play to an underwhelming 61.5 Pro Football Focus coverage grade in 11 appearances with the Raiders.
With an average annual value of $12 million spread across the next four seasons, the Packers need Hobbs to take his game to the next level if he wants to live up to his contract value. Whether he's capable of playing at a HOF level similar to Woodson remains to be seen.