The Green Bay Packers' biggest miss of the offseason was the signing of Nate Hobbs. Giving a four-year, $48 million contract to the former Raiders cornerback has aged poorly through the first seven weeks of the season. After getting lit up by the Cardinals all game in Week 7, allowing a 118.8 passer rating in coverage, questions about how Hobbs fits into this have been an important talking point.
Many Packers fans want Carrington Valentine to replace Hobbs. The third-year player has played well in his defensive snaps, but seems not to have the trust of the coaching staff. If Matt LaFleur isn't going to move Hobbs to the nickel cornerback and move Valentine in his spot, then the front office may need to trade for a more reliable outside corner.
Roger McCreary Is a Good Trade Deadline Fit for the Packers
With the November 4 trade deadline looming, the Packers could turn their attention to the league's bottom-feeders who will likely be sellers. The Tennessee Titans could be a potential trade partner. In fact, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Matt Bowen identified Roger McCreary of the Titans among their list of 25 best players who could move at the deadline. They listed the Packers as one of the "team fits".
In his write-up, Bowler described McCreary as "more of a ball disrupter than a playmaker (three career interceptions)... a physical cover corner with the ability to match in the slot and tackle in space," before Fowler added that McCreary could be acquired for Day 3 pick swaps.
McCreary has been mostly lining up in the slot for the Titans for the past two seasons. Yet, he has extensive previous experience playing on the outside, especially in his first two seasons in Tennessee. He was a productive defensive back in those years, receiving 62.6 and 71.3 defensive grades, respectively, per Pro Football Focus.
Even if the former Auburn standout is a better nickel corner than on the outside, that is still very useful for the Packers. Javon Bullard has been less than convincing in his first 1.5 years in the NFL at that spot, and bringing a more established veteran there could benefit the Packers. Having two versatile cornerbacks who can line up in different roles on the secondary in Hobbs and McCreary will only help give the Packers' defense more optionality.
McCreary is in the final year of his rookie contract. The Titans would understandably be open to moving him at the deadline rather than risking losing him for nothing after the season. This should lower the asking price for the former second-round pick. The 25-year-old has gone under the radar in his four seasons in the NFL due to playing for an irrelevant organization and not being a ballhawking corner, but he would be an immediate upgrade over Hobbs and Bullard. And that is something the Packers' top brass should seriously consider.