There's no beating around the bush; Nate Hobbs' first season with the Green Bay Packers was a massive disappointment. The veteran cornerback didn't meet the expectations that came with the four-year, $48 million contract he signed with the club last March. That's putting it mildly.
Fast forward to the present day, and it's evident what a difference 11 months can make. Hobbs was initially brought in to help address the Packers' secondary woes. Now, he's a part of the problem and is ostensibly on the outs in Green Bay.
ESPN's Rob Demovsky was much more hyperbolic about the situation. He, rather adamantly, expressed that Hobbs is destined for a one-and-done stint with the Packers during a recent appearance on ESPN Wisconsin.
Packers insider suggests Nate Hobbs has played his final snap for Green Bay
Rather than letting the buyer's remorse linger, the Packers may be prepared to cut their losses. At least, that's what Demovsky is saying.
"Let's just start at [cornerback]," Demovsky said. "Nate Hobbs [is] probably not going to be back. That signing just didn't work out. He's due a $6 million roster bonus in March, and there's no way they can pay that."
Life comes at you quickly, especially in the NFL. Hobbs is a prime example, going from a highly-paid free-agent acquisition to an expected cap casualty less than 365 days later. It's truly been a tale of two stories for him in Titletown.
While releasing Hobbs after one season might sound drastic, Demovsky seems pretty convinced. Other Packers beat reporters have echoed his sentiment, which is interesting. However, Green Bay gave themselves room to make a move of this magnitude.
The only guaranteed funds in Hobbs' deal were his $16 million signing bonus. Green Bay can create roughly $8.8 million in cap savings while leaving behind $4 million in dead money by cutting him with a post-June 1 designation. It's pretty straightforward, setting the stage for a breakup, as Demovsky alludes to.
Across 11 appearances in his inaugural — and presumably final — campaign with the Packers, Hobbs recorded 27 tackles (two for loss) and two pass deflections. His 125.3 passer rating against was well above the league average for quarterbacks in 2025 (91.4), ranking 143rd out of 164 corners (minimum 50 coverage snaps).