Green Bay Packers cornerback Nate Hobbs underwent surgery over the weekend to repair a partial meniscus tear in his knee and will miss the rest of training camp, sources confirmed Tuesday to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.
Hobbs is still expected to be available for the regular-season opener on Sept. 7 against the Detroit Lions.
The 26-year-old underwent the procedure early Saturday morning with no complications, according to a source. Another source said Hobbs could have played through the injury, but the risk of aggravating it led to the decision to operate.
Hobbs had not practiced since Thursday. On Friday, the team cited a knee issue but gave no further details.
Green Bay signed Hobbs in March to a four-year, $48 million deal after he spent his first four NFL seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders. He immediately stood out in camp for his physical style of play. At one point, head coach Matt LaFleur had to ask him to scale back the intensity during drills.
“The thing you admire most about him is he’s passionate about the game, and he loves to compete,” LaFleur said. “That’s one of the reasons we went out and got him.”
Hobbs is projected to start on the outside opposite Keisean Nixon. Both have experience playing nickel, but the Packers plan to use Javon Bullard inside while Hobbs and Nixon handle perimeter coverage.
The injury history in Green Bay’s secondary factored heavily into the decision to sign Hobbs. Former All-Pro Jaire Alexander, limited to just seven games in each of the last two seasons, was released in June after contract negotiations stalled.
With Hobbs sidelined for the rest of camp, second-year corner Carrington Valentine is expected to receive extended reps with the first-team defense.
Hobbs’ Career Stats:
| Year | Team | Tackles (COMB) | Assisted (AST) | Sacks | INTs | INT Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Raiders | 49 | 16 | 0.0 | 1 | 35 | 0 |
| 2023 | Raiders | 86 | 27 | 1.0 | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| 2022 | Raiders | 72 | 15 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | Raiders | 74 | 23 | 1.0 | 1 | 9 | 0 |
| Career | LV | 281 | 81 | 3.0 | 3 | 54 | 0 |
With 281 total tackles, three interceptions, and three sacks over four NFL seasons, Hobbs brings both production and leadership to the Green Bay defense.
The Packers hope to have their new cornerback at full speed by kickoff against Detroit at Lambeau Field. If he’s unavailable, Valentine is expected to start in his place.