Packers Report Card: Grading Their 2025 Offseason

When Hobbs was healthy, he struggled. He was asked to be a boundary corner, though most of his best snaps in his career came in the slot. However, how much could Hobbs play in the slot when that was the home of Javon Bullard, one of the team’s best players?

That’s a question that whoever the next defensive coordinator is going to have to figure out, assuming Hobbs remains on the team.

Hobbs’ forgettable season ended when he suffered a knee injury while breaking up a pass in the end zone against the Baltimore Ravens. Hobbs played in 11 games, had zero interceptions and allowed a passer rating of 125.4 when targeted, according to PFF.

It was a forgettable season, but one that Hobbs thinks he can put behind him and bounce back from in 2026.

“It is what it is, man,” Hobbs said before Week 18.  “It is a lot, but I just want Packer Nation to know that I have been playing through injuries all year and, no matter what, I brought passion, I brought my best, I brought all of me.

“I’m a top-tier player for this organization. When the time is right, I’ll be able to show that when I’m healthy. I wasn’t healthy at all this year. I see what people say. There’s a lot of fans that don’t like me, that think I’m not a good player. But it’s all good. I know who I am as a man, as a player. Just want to show that when I get the next opportunity.”

With potentially limited draft and free agency capital, the Packers need Hobbs to be part of the solution for their issues at cornerback.

WR Mecole Hardman

Mecole Hardman was signed before the draft and was looked at as a potential solution at punt returner.

He was signed to the practice squad after being released after training camp ended but was never elevated to the roster despite Green Bay’s struggles in the return game. He wound up latching on with the Bills, and will be active for this week’s divisional playoff game. The highlight of his two games was a 61-yard kickoff return.

Players Re-Signed By Packers

LB Isaiah McDuffie

It was a bit of a surprise when the Packers re-signed linebacker Isaiah McDuffie, simply because they used a third-round pick on Ty’Ron Hopper in 2024 and had Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper in tow.

McDuffie is one of the team’s glue guys and a top performer on special teams. Solid if unspectacular as a linebacker, he plays hard, which helps cover up some of his limitations. Of course, those limitations were on full display at times, notably when he was caught in coverage on Chicago’s Colston Loveland in the playoff loss.

McDuffie has two years left on his contract. With the uncertain future of Walker, he is likely going to be back as depth, if nothing else.

K Brandon McManus

Kicker Brandon McManus was re-signed before the start of free agency, an easy decision after he saved Green Bay’s kicking game from the abyss in 2024.

McManus was automatic during training camp. Jokes flew around after his first miss that he was actually human.

During the season, the human side of things showed up more. McManus struggled early in the season. He had kicks blocked that helped sway should-have-been wins against Cleveland and Dallas into a loss and a tie, respectively.

After the kick-protection issues were shored up, McManus struggled with a quad injury and gave way to Lucas Havrisik. Havrisik missed two extra points in a wind storm against the Giants but otherwise was excellent, including a franchise-record 61-yard field goal in Arizona.

McManus got his job back after missing the game against the Giants and didn’t miss a kick during the final seven games of the regular season.

The playoffs, however, were a disaster. He missed an extra point and two field goals, effectively taking a touchdown off the board for the Packers in a game they lost by four.

He was blunt after the game ended.

“Just bad kicks,” McManus said. “An embarrassing performance. It’s the most disappointing part of my career right now.”

Keeping McManus through his struggles during the season made sense. McManus had a track record that Havrisik lacked. Now, with the Packers needing to pinch every penny against the salary cap, could they go a cheaper route at kicker and go with Havrisik, who was signed to a futures contract after the season?

That remains to be seen, but the Packers gave McManus the extension last offseason to avoid having major issues at kicker. In the biggest moment of the season, it was arguably their biggest issue.

Players Not Re-Signed By Packers

With new players coming in, that means certain players were shown the door, as well. The additions of guard Aaron Banks and cornerback Nate Hobbs meant the end of the road for center Josh Myers and cornerback Eric Stokes.

C Josh Myers

Myers parlayed a one-year contract with the Jets into an extension during the season. He now has some job security with the Jets after giving up three sacks in 17 games, according to PFF.

CB Eric Stokes

Stokes had a renaissance season with the Raiders, and the former first-round pick could be in line for a nice contract if he hits the free agent market. According to Sports Info Solutions, he allowed a 45.7 percent catch rate and one touchdown. PFF charged him with a 77.2 passer rating when targeted. For reference, the lowest mark allowed by Green Bay’s top three cornerbacks was 104.6 by Keisean Nixon.

Stokes’ issue in Green Bay was rarely talent, but injuries and consistency. It’s hard to blame the Packers for moving on, but in a results-based business, that’s probably hard to stomach considering the issues in Green Bay’s secondary.

DT TJ Slaton

Perhaps the biggest departure in free agency, literally and figuratively, was defensive tackle TJ Slaton.

Green Bay was thin up front when the season started, and it was even thinner when the season ended. Slaton was not a great player, but the two-year starter easily would have been the team’s best run defender and given them another proven body in the middle of the defense to keep guys Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks fresh.

Slaton signed a modest two-year, $15.1 million contract with the Bengals and started all 17 games for a third consecutive season. He set a career high with 52 tackles.

The Packers tried to replace him on the cheap with sixth-round pick Warren Brinson and undrafted free agent Nazir Stackhouse.

The defensive tackle room became a revolving door by the end of the season thanks to injuries. Jordan Riley, Quinton Bohanna and Jonathan Ford all made appearances during the final few games, with Riley tearing an Achilles and Ford returning to the team that drafted him in 2022.

None of them were particularly impactful, and the lack of depth up front is something that should be a top priority for Gutekunst as this offseason begins.

The Blockbuster Trade

Of course, the move that saved the offseason for Gutekunst was made on Aug. 28 when he sent two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark to the Cowboys to acquire defensive end Micah Parsons.

Parsons was a seismic star in every sense of the word, the defensive stalwart the Packers had not had since in-his-prime Charles Woodson.

Parsons suffered a torn ACL at Denver in Week 15 but earned first-team All-Pro honors. He finished third in the NFL in pressures, according to Next Gen Stats, even while missing the final three-plus games.

Parsons might have been the most impactful player in football this season. Without him, Dallas allowed the most points in the NFL. Green Bay’s defense was notably dreadful without him, as well, capped off by giving up 25 points in the fourth quarter of the playoff loss at Chicago.

It did not take him long to make his presence felt on the field, with a sack in his debut against Detroit, or in the locker room. Perhaps the biggest impact he can make going into his second season is challenging his teammates to do more.

“I told the guys, ‘Get ready to embrace the mentality of doing more than what your job’s required,’” Parsons, still on crutches following ACL surgery, said at locker room cleanout. “We got to get ready to fight deep water. This ain’t a test. When you look at the matchups, the games we have for next year, it’s another tough year.”

With all that has been outlined above, Gutekunst and Co. might have received a failing grade for his offseason.

As Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said after his team’s season ended, his job is to acquire great players.

Micah Parsons is a great player, and that pulls Green Bay’s grade for free agency up to well above average.

Grade: B