The Green Bay Packers have established themselves as early contenders in the 2025 season, but they’ll need to adapt to keep it that way. The Packers have had several things fall in their favor over their first six games, but an ongoing concern has been the performance of Nate Hobbs.
Signed to a four-year, $48 million contract this offseason, Hobbs has been a disappointment, grading 64th out of 118 qualifying corners this season according to Pro Football Focus. After allowing four catches for 87 yards on five targets in last week’s win over the Arizona Cardinals, The Athletic’s Matthew Schneiderman wondered if making a shift in the secondary involving Carrington Valentine was the right direction for the Packers to go moving forward. The next two games could provide the perfect opportunity to put a new plan into motion.
Packers’ Defensive Fix Could Be as Simple as Moving Nate Hobbs Inside
Through Hobbs’s first five games, it’s clear the Packers haven’t gotten what they paid for. Things looked promising when Hobbs allowed one catch on four targets over the first two games in Green Bay, but things have gone downhill over the past three games, allowing 12 catches for 173 yards and two touchdowns with a pass breakup on 16 targets.
Allowing a 149.2 passer rating during that stretch could lead some to label Hobbs as a free agent bust. But a more accurate description is that Hobbs has been miscast as an outside corner. PFF charts Hobbs with 25 coverage snaps in the slot this season, and he has yet to allow a reception on those snaps. Hobbs also has a strong history in the slot, allowing a 91.3 passer rating on 210 coverage snaps with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024.
This is important because Valentine has been performing at a high level this season. PFF grades Valentine as the Packers’ top corner with a 72.9 overall grade entering Sunday’s game against the Steelers. Valentine has also earned that grade with a strong performance in coverage, with nine catches allowed for 99 yards and two touchdowns with a pass breakup on 16 targets.
Carrington’s 114.3 passer rating allowed doesn’t inspire an elite level of confidence, but it would be an upgrade over where the Packers are right now. There’s also a two-week runway for the Packers to make the move, considering their matchups against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers.
The Steelers’ passing game has been spearheaded by a resurgent Aaron Rodgers but outside of DK Metcalf, Pittsburgh has relied more on tight ends Jonnu Smith, Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington to do damage.
Carolina has a more dangerous stable of receivers including Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette and Hunter Renfrow. But they’re also down Bryce Young, who is currently “day-to-day” with a sprained ankle.
Shifting the secondary now to advantageous matchups would be a good move for when the schedule heats up. Green Bay hosts the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 10 and has three straight divisional matchups after a trip to face the New York Giants in Week 11.
If the experiment works, the Packers should have the inside track to fix one of the few flaws in a defense that has been one of the league’s best over the first half of the season, and could build the foundation for a team with its eyes set on a championship.