Green Bay Packers cornerback Nate Hobbs is expected to miss the rest of training camp after undergoing surgery to repair a meniscus tear, ESPN reported Tuesday. He could return in time for the Packers' regular-season opener against the Detroit Lions on Sept. 7, per ESPN.
"I'm not going to put a timetable on it," head coach Matt LaFleur said Tuesday. "But unfortunately he had to have something cleaned up. We're hoping to get him back here sooner than later."
Hobbs, 26, was one of the Packers' biggest free agent acquisitions this offseason. They signed him to a four-year, $48 million deal in March.
He spent his first four seasons in the league with the Las Vegas Raiders, who took him in the fifth round of the 2021 draft.
Hobbs has played at least 550 defensive snaps in each of his four NFL seasons, according to Pro Football Focus. He's mostly played inside corner, with 304 of his 554 defensive snaps last season taking place in the slot, per PFF.
But the Packers see him as a starting outside corner opposite of Keisean Nixon. In Hobbs' absence, third-year defensive back Carrington Valentine and veteran Corey Ballentine — who played in 37 games for the Packers between 2022-24 — are options for Green Bay at the position. The team re-signed Ballentine on Monday.
This isn't the first time Hobbs has been sidelined during his NFL career. He's been out for a combined 16 games over the past three seasons because of ankle and hand injuries and illness. Unfortunately for the Packers, they're used to injuries foiling their plans at cornerback.
Back in June, Green Bay moved on from Jaire Alexander after seven seasons. Although Alexander earned second-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl nods in 2020 and 2022, he's struggled to stay on the field. In each of the past two seasons, Alexander has played in just seven games. He wound up reuniting with his Louisville teammate, quarterback Lamar Jackson, in Baltimore.
There's still a chance Hobbs plays a full slate of games for the Packers this season. But before his first game action in Green Bay, he's already recovering from a procedure.
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