Packers cornerback Nate Hobbs undergoes knee surgery
Green Bay Packers cornerback Nate Hobbs, who was signed this offseason to be a cornerstone of their defense, underwent knee surgery over the weekend, sources confirmed. Despite this, he is expected to be back for the start of the regular season on September 7 against the Detroit Lions. However, Hobbs is expected to miss the rest of training camp. Sources reported that the surgery was to repair a partial meniscus tear. The operation took place on Saturday at 7 a.m. and did not include any other complications, according to a source. Hobbs could have played with the injury, according to another source, but it could have possibly worsened, so the decision was made to address it immediately. Hobbs practiced for the last time on Thursday. When he was absent from Friday’s practice, the Packers reported that he had a knee injury, but did not provide further details. The Packers signed Hobbs to a four-year, $48 million contract in March as a free agent. He immediately stood out at training camp for his physique. In fact, at one point, coach Matt LaFleur had to ask Hobbs to tone it down and save himself for live football.Hobbs, who played his first four seasons for the Raiders, missed six games last season and 16 in the previous three seasons combined due to ankle injuries, a hand injury, and illness. The Packers signed Hobbs in part because former cornerback Jaire Alexander couldn’t stay healthy. Alexander played only seven games in each of the last two seasons and was released in June when he and the Packers couldn’t agree on a revised contract. It is expected that Hobbs, 26 years old, will be a starter as one of the two outside cornerbacks along with Keisean Nixon. Both Hobbs and Nixon have played extensively as inside/nickel cornerbacks, but the Packers believe that both can play on the boundary and have been using Javon Bullard as a nickel linebacker. With Hobbs out, Carrington Valentine is likely to be next in line as an outside cornerback.“What you admire most about him is that he is passionate about the game and loves to compete,” LaFleur said at the beginning of training camp. “That’s one of the reasons we went after him, because he demonstrates it. He does it consistently day after day.”
Matt LaFleur, Packers coach
