The Green Bay Packers have been very active in free agency over the past few seasons. Overall, their signings have been a success. Last year, especially, was excellent. Xavier McKinney was one of the best safeties in football, and Josh Jacobs finished sixth in the league in rushing yards. GM Brian Gutekunst followed that up with another free agency period of spending. They spent big money on Aaron Banks, but another free agent signing flew under the radar. Cornerback Nate Hobbs was signed to a four-year deal, and the coaches had plenty to say about the young player in a recent press conference.
Green Bay Packers Coaches On CB Nate Hobbs
Nate Hobbs was drafted in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He had quite an interesting coaching situation for his rookie year. Head coach Jon Gruden resigned after his email scandal, and Rich Bisaccia took over as the interim head coach. After the Raiders did not retain him, he came over to coach the special teams of the Green Bay Packers. He was asked about Hobbs and had nothing but good things to say.
“He’s a really talented football player. He’s a lot bigger than you think, until you get up there and shake his hand. He can really run. He’s a physical player. He’s got great length, and he’s played multiple positions. He’s played in the slot, he’s played outside, a force in the kicking game his rookie year. He was all over the place on kickoff, played outside at flyer on punt. So all that being said, what we’ve seen of him on defense, we’ve seen some of those in the kicking game as well. I just think we’re getting a really good guy that loves football and loves the opportunity to compete.”
The Green Bay Packers have been drafting and signing many players with versatility. In the 2025 NFL Draft, they took many players who can play multiple positions, giving Matt LaFleur and his staff flexibility. Green Bay needs help in the secondary, and Hobbs looks like a perfect addition.
DC Jeff Hafley Joins In
Because of his versatility, second-year defensive coordinator Jeff Halfey was asked about where he sees Nate Hobbs playing. Like Bisaccia, Hafley had a glowing report and is excited to see him out on the field.
“He’s had a lot of success inside, and I thought his tape outside was equally as good. He is competitive, he’s tough, he is physical, he plays the game fast, you can tell he loves it. It just jumps off the tape. I don’t know if you guys watched any of it, but it certainly jumps off the tape the way the guy plays. And he’s been a great addition and he does give you that versatility where you can move him around and again, I’m a big fan of that.”
There are plenty of expectations after last year’s improvement. The former Boston College head coach is excited to have a new weapon to deploy in the secondary.
Final Thoughts
We focus on the big-name free agent signings, but every year, signings like this one often turn out to be the best. The Green Bay Packers defense will want to help Jordan Love and the offense anyway they can. Hobbs is a player to watch in 2025.
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