Tag: NFL injuries

Packers CB has surgery, expected back for Week 1

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.

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Packers WR injuries force LaFleur to shorten practice ahead of Family Night

Training camp has hit a familiar snag in Green Bay as one position group is getting decimated by injuries.

Heading into Friday’s eighth camp practice, the Packers are especially thin at wide receiver. With a showcase Family Night looming at Lambeau Field, head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed the team will scale things back to preserve bodies and energy.

“We better,” LaFleur told Sports Illustrated’s Bill Huber when asked if there were enough healthy receivers to even practice.

LaFleur Pulls Back the Throttle

LaFleur confirmed Friday’s practice would be shorter than usual—just three team periods, no pads, and roughly 80 minutes in total.

“We only have three team periods, so it’s not going to be a long one,” he said. “Some of it will be down in the red area… We have enough tight ends and backs and other positions to make it work.”

Receiver Depth Is Tested

While Green Bay came into camp with 11 receivers—by design, according to general manager Brian Gutekunst—that number is quickly shrinking.

  • Christian Watson remains on the PUP list.

  • Dontayvion Wicks returned from a calf injury but didn’t finish practice.

  • Jayden Reed exited Thursday with a foot issue that LaFleur said is “nothing long-term.”

  • Savion Williams, the rookie third-rounder recovering from a concussion, was limited to individual drills.

  • Sam Brown left late during Thursday’s session and may be dealing with an undisclosed injury.

  • Malik Heath appeared to fight through a leg issue but stayed on the field.

With key names sidelined, the reps have shifted heavily toward Romeo Doubs, first-rounder Matthew Golden, and Heath. Two-tight-end looks with Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave became more frequent, helping balance the workload.

Next Man Up

Thursday saw strong performances from depth receivers including Julian Hicks and Cornelius Johnson, both of whom were on the practice squad last season. Undrafted rookie Will Sheppard, signed just before camp, also continued to flash.

“All those guys have had moments where they have played and made plays,” LaFleur said. “They’ll get a ton of reps. Once we get into these preseason games, these guys are going to get a lot of time.”

Sam Brown’s Steady Rise

Despite his recent exit, Brown has been a standout in camp. The former Miami and Houston receiver knows how to compete in stacked WR rooms.

“You just got to work for it,” he said earlier in the week. “That’s pretty much what I’ve been doing, just trying to be consistent every day.”

Waiting on Savion Williams

It’s been a tough start for the rookie from TCU. After recovering from offseason labrum surgery, Williams is still limited to walkthroughs and individual drills.

“We’ve got to get him out there,” LaFleur said. “It’s hard to get rolling when you’re not available… but he’s demonstrated that he knows what’s going on.”

Looking Ahead to Family Night

With Lambeau Field set to host one of the Packers’ biggest fan events on Saturday, expect reps to be tightly managed. While the WR group remains a concern, LaFleur and staff are finding ways to adapt—and Friday’s scaled-down session is part of that plan.

Even with bodies down, Green Bay’s camp remains competitive—and for the young wideouts, opportunity knocks.

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