Packers Free-Agent Signing Explains Surgery Decision

When the Packers signed Nate Hobbs to a four-year, $48 million contract back in March, he had high expectations for what was expected to be a revamped secondary. Star Jaire Alexander was on his way out the door, but Hobbs had played with one of the Packers’ top holdovers, Kiesean Nixon, when both were with the Raiders. And with star safety Xavier McKinney still in the fold, Hobbs foresaw big things.

Hobbs might have landed in the slot. Or perhaps on the outside, opposite Nixon.

Either way, he said, “Think it’d be legendary. I think Keisean is a little bit like me. He’s a versatile player. He can play inside, outside, and he does kick return, punt return — and he takes it to the house when he does it. So I think he’s a good player, and I think it’ll be great.”

Packers Had Injury Concerns

Fast-forward three-and-a-half months and the legendary unveiling of the new Packers defensive backfield is on hold. That’s because Hobbs–who is coming to Green Bay already larded with injury concerns–suffered a knee injury last week, with a tear in his meniscus.

Hobbs missed 17 games in the last four seasons with the Raiders.

After the injury, he had a quick decision to make: Either try to get through the injury with rest and rehab, running the risk of re-injuring it later in the year, or going ahead with surgery and hoping for the short end of the four-to-six week recovery time.

Hobbs wanted the surgery, and the hope that the legendary corner combo still had a chance to show itself.

Nate Hobbs: ‘I Was Having a Good Camp’

The difficulty about it for Hobbs was that–despite some admonitions that he was being too aggressive–he had been happy with how camp had been going.

“I was having a good camp,” Hobbs said, via Packersnews.com, “and I was proving to my teammates and gaining their trust. That’s something I take real serious, just trying to be the best version of myself out there. Whenever you really, truly try to do that and something happens, it hurts. But you either take that as something that’s going to hold you back, or you look at it like a lesson.”

Packers Hoping to Get Hobbs Back Quickly

Now, the Packers will likely have Carrington Valentine stepping into Hobbs’ place, and the hope is that the defense emerges with a deeper cornerback room once Hobbs heals. Asked why he decided to have the surgery rather than remain on the field in training camp, Hobbs said he felt it was imperative to get back on the field at 100% as quick as possible.

Green Bay signed former CB Corey Ballentine this week, too.

“I feel like that’s part of my job,” Hobbs said. “I’m a professional. I get paid to do this. So anything that’s a concern with my body, I need to try to get on right away. I felt like it was something we needed to do. They gave me the option if it’s something I wanted to do it the next day or the day after, and I’m like, ‘We can do this today. Like, right now. Let’s get it handled so I can get back.’”