Getty
Former Las Vegas Raiders CB Nate Hobbs.
The Las Vegas Raiders have been big spenders this offseason, but the opposite was true a year ago. The team let several key free agents walk.
One of the key names to go elsewhere was cornerback Nate Hobbs. He was a popular player among the Raiders’ fan base after becoming one of the better nickel cornerbacks in the NFL.
However, his big problem was staying healthy, having played more than 13 games only once in his four years in Las Vegas. With the injury concerns in mind, the Raiders decided against re-signing him, and he signed a huge four-year, $48 million contract with the Green Bay Packers in free agency.
The injury issues continued, as Hobbs only played in 11 games for the Packers in 2025. Green Bay quickly decided that they want out of the Hobbs business.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Packers have decided to release the veteran cornerback just one year after signing a four-year deal. Green Bay is now going to get saddled with a $12 million dead cap hit. They seem to save less than a million dollars with the move, so it’s a bit confusing as to why they’d make the move now. Regardless, Hobbs is set to be a free agent again.
Could Raiders Look to Bring Back Hobbs?
A week ago, Hobbs could’ve made sense as a cheap option for the Raiders. However, the team just recently traded for another nickel cornerback in Taron Johnson.
The team previously tried to use Hobbs on the outside, but he wasn’t as effective as he was in the slot. Now, new Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Leonard was on the staff for two seasons with Hobbs.
It’s possible that he’s a fan of the cornerback and wants to bring him back. Considering he’s still getting paid by the Packers, he could come to Las Vegas on the minimum. It wouldn’t be much of a risk to bring him in.
Raiders Trading for Johnson Was Logical Move
Johnson was once an All-Pro nickel corner, but hasn’t been as effective the last couple of years. The Raiders bought low on him, so the move drew praise from ESPN’s Seth Walder, who gave the team a “B-” grade for the trade.
“But the Raiders felt otherwise,” Walder wrote. “His contract also calls for $10 million in 2027 cash, though none of the money this year or next is guaranteed. Would Johnson have made that much in free agency? Perhaps. Either way, the Raiders paid a tiny amount of draft capital to ensure they landed him at that price. The Raiders are swimming in cap space … and roster needs. Safety Jeremy Chinn played more nickel than anyone else in Las Vegas last season and is on a reasonable contract, but he has positional flexibility, so the acquisition of Johnson could mean the Raiders move him around elsewhere more often.”
Johnson has also dealt with injury issues the last couple of seasons, so perhaps Hobbs is a good player and a cheap option to add for depth purposes.
Austin Boyd has covered the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Lakers for Heavy.com since 2019. A Los Angeles native now based in Las Vegas, his featured work at Heavy includes interviews with NFL stars Darren Waller and Joe Montana, and a behind-the-scenes look at “The Shop.” More about Austin Boyd
More Heavy on Raiders
Loading more stories
