He talks like he plays. “I bring high energy… I’m a dog,” Nate Hobbs said earlier this offseason. And Green Bay bought in. After five rugged seasons in Las Vegas, Hobbs arrived with a reputation: tone-setter in the slot, relentless on every rep. In 51 career games with the Raiders, he notched three interceptions and 19 pass breakups, but it wasn’t just the production. It was the edge. That edge earned him a four-year, $48 million deal from GM Brian Gutekunst. But three days into Packers camp, that same edge nearly crossed the line.
Hobbs didn’t wait to make his presence felt at Packers camp. On Day 1, he jumped a route and broke up a Jordan Love pass intended for Josh Jacobs. The next day, he was baited offside on a hard count, then came back with a clean pass breakup against Dontayvion Wicks. He looked wired in, flying around the field with confidence. But by Day 3, the coaching staff had to reel him in a bit.
Turns out, Hobbs got too physical during a no-pads session. Hobbs knocked Wicks to the ground after a catch early in the no-pads session. Later, he delivered a clean but forceful hit to Wicks’ back on a pass breakup, enough to draw a corrective chat from Coach LaFleur. Wicks said afterward: “It happened twice today… We’re football players… I’m good.”
Asked if Hobbs needed to dial down his physicality during camp, LaFleur didn’t hesitate. “The answer is yes. I don’t think it’s malicious,” he said during the press conference. It’s just who Hobbs is—wired to bring edge and relentless energy. That intensity is part of what makes him dangerous. As Hobbs put it, “You can put me anywhere on the field, against anybody… I’m going to stand my ground.” He sees himself as reliable and consistent, and that mindset fuels both the plays and the problems.
Matt LaFleur asked if Nate Hobbs needs to tone down his physicality during non-padded practices:
“The answer is yes. I don’t think it’s malicious.”
Said that’s a part of Hobbs’ game the Packers liked in free agency. pic.twitter.com/YJh1j2Sabx
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) July 27, 2025
Still, despite the hiccup, LaFleur wouldn’t back off his belief in Hobbs. As he knows and “sees the guy’s a competitor.” He’s their trusted cornerback. But still, LaFleur’s job is to set a standard. That means sometimes being brutally honest and just a little harsh. Especially early in camp during non-pad sessions. Because Hobbs wasn’t the only one who messed up.
Matt LaFleur calls out Packers offense due to chaos
With starting center Elgton Jenkins sidelined, the offense showed signs of instability. There were some timing issues with shotgun snaps, and overall execution dipped noticeably on Friday. Ball security became a clear concern. And it was more than Matt LaFleur was comfortable with, especially in a session without pads. Josh Jacobs lost a fumble after a hit from cornerback Keisean Nixon during team drills. Malik Willis, getting second-team reps, nearly threw a pick on his first snap of the two-minute period and was intercepted on the very next play. For a practice that wasn’t meant to be high-contact, the overall sloppiness stood out.
What really stood out on Friday was how often the Packers’ offense came close to coughing the ball up. Sean Clifford nearly threw an interception in red zone work. In the next series, Love tried to hit a running back in the flat, but McKinney read the play and nearly picked it off. Even when the offense had success, like when Tucker Kraft made a contested catch between two defenders, the ball popped out at the end of the play. It was a sloppy outing overall, and Matt LaFleur didn’t hide his disappointment.
More than the mistakes, it was the unnecessary contact that irked Matt LaFleur. He had already warned the team about pushing boundaries without pads. “If we lose one person, that hurts our football team,” he said earlier in the week. The message was clear: compete hard, but protect one another.
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