The Green Bay Packers view offseason free-agent acquisition Nate Hobbs as the replacement for star cornerback Jaire Alexander, whose time in Titletown was effectively over. Or at least that's what their financial investment and coachspeak say about the ex-Las Vegas Raiders defender. However, there's been a bump in the road in the form of an unfortunate health update.
Hobbs is reportedly "expected to" miss the rest of Green Bay's training camp after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus. Based on intel from Rob Demovsky of ESPN, it sounds like his status for Week 1 of the upcoming campaign is more doubtful than questionable. It's brutal news for the Packers and the player they ostensibly believe in, and a double whammy as Alexander enjoys life with the Baltimore Ravens.
Nate Hobbs injury update quickly rubs salt in Packers' Jaire Alexander wounds
Green Bay signed Hobbs to a four-year, $48 million contract in March "in part because" of Alexander's availability (or lack thereof), as Demovsky wrote. So, there were seemingly big plans for the former before the Packers released the latter and eventually joined the Ravens on June 29. The early returns of moving on from one talented yet oft-injured defensive back to another aren't promising, to say the least.
While the Packers are on the shortlist of legitimate NFC contenders, Hobbs is supposed to be a massive piece of the puzzle in Green Bay. Suddenly, he's missing valuable practice opportunities while acclimating to a new scheme under defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. Live reps aside, how can we be sure this isn't a nagging issue throughout this forthcoming season?
Demovsky notes that Hobbs "could" be back for Green Bay's 2025 opener at home against the Detroit Lions on Sept. 7. The uncertainty raises questions: Is the 26-year-old rushing to return to action? Is this ailment more concerning than the Packers are leading us to believe? Either way, it's a situation that appears to be in flux and worth monitoring.
It's been roughly a month since Alexander landed in Baltimore, and by all accounts, he's thriving with his new club. The two-time All-Pro is making plays and turning heads, as we've become accustomed to seeing when fitness isn't a problem. Moreover, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, burgeoning second-year corner Nate Wiggins already looks to him as a mentor ($).
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur didn't put a timeline on Hobbs' recovery when discussing the circumstances. Nonetheless, Green Bay's leader held out hope for the team's highly coveted addition to re-enter the mix "sooner [rather] than later," whatever that means.