The 2025 offseason was likely the last big dip into free agency that the Green Bay Packers will get for a couple of years. There are a couple of reasons for that: Their shrinking available salary cap, plus their need to turn expiring contracts into future compensatory picks, which they would offset by signing outside free agents.
That’s what made the signings of guard Aaron Banks and cornerback Nate Hobbs so critical, following the wins that were the additions of running back Josh Jacobs and safety Xavier McKinney in the free agency period prior. So far, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst has come up bust on the Banks and Hobbs moves.
Meanwhile, Hobbs was exposed against the Dallas Cowboys, a game in which he gave up two touchdowns. According to NFL Pro’s data, Hobb has given up 6.5 expected points as an outside cornerback over 69 snaps. For perspective, that’s 0.09 points per snap, about a point given up every 10 that he plays in coverage.
Among the 63 cornerbacks with as many snaps as Hobbs, only 12 have posted a worse expected points allowed per snap in 2025. Those players, by in large, are injury replacements, guys who have bounced on multiple teams in their NFL careers and/or rookie contract players on their way to busting:
So it’s not fair to say that Hobbs is the worst cornerback in the league, even if you thought that watching him against the Cowboys. What is fair, though, is calling him a bottom 20 percent cornerback in the NFL.
Maybe it’s coming. Hobbs is coming off a summer knee surgery. Banks hasn’t been off the injury report since he was rolled up in Week 1. Let’s just hope this bye week leads to that duo coming back well-rested.