The San Francisco 49ers are reportedly adding some competition to their cornerback room with the signing of former Packer and Raider Nate Hobbs.
Hobbs, 26, is coming to the 49ers on a one-year deal with hopes that he regains the form he showed earlier in his career with the Raiders after a disappointing season with the Packers. Here's a look at what fans should know about Hobbs as he begins his stint with the 49ers.
Injury history
The 49ers, first and foremost, will be hoping Hobbs stays on the field, as he hasn't played more than 13 games in a season since his rookie year. After appearing in 16 games as a rookie in 2021, Hobbs (6-0, 195) missed time in 2022 due to a broken hand.
In 2023, an ankle injury kept him out for four games. Another ankle injury caused Hobbs to miss time in 2024. After signing with the Packers in free agency before the 2025 season, he suffered a series of injuries that cast a shadow over his time in Green Bay.
Signing with the 49ers feels like an opportunity for Hobbs to rebound on a one-year prove-it deal, but he'll obviously need to hope he stays healthier than he's been in the past.
Coming off a rough year in Green Bay
Hobbs was impressive enough during his time with the Raiders that the Packers threw a four-year, $48 million contract his way during the 2025 free agency period. From there, it seems like not much about that situation went right.
As mentioned, Hobbs was beset with injuries throughout 2025, starting with a meniscus tear in his knee that kept him out for the preseason. Hobbs then went through a benching during the season, after which he missed six games down the stretch due to two more knee injuries.
"I just want Packer Nation to know that I have been playing through injuries all year and, no matter what, I brought passion, I brought my best, I brought all of me," Hobbs said of his injuries last season. "I'm a top-tier player for this organization. When the time is right, I'll be able to show that when I'm healthy. I wasn't healthy at all this year. I see what people say. There's a lot of fans that don't like me, that think I'm not a good player. But it's all good. I know who I am as a man, as a player. Just want to show that when I get the next opportunity."
Hobbs won't get that opportunity with the Packers, who decided to cut him loose with a post-June 1 designation earlier this week. He finished his lone season in Green Bay with 27 tackles, two passes defended, and two tackles for loss.
Things weren't perfect with the Raiders, but they were certainly better than in Green Bay
Hobbs, as mentioned, had injury issues during his days with the Raiders, plus he had a notable off-the-field issue as he was arrested in 2022 for a DUI. But he made his presence felt in a positive way, starting nine of the 16 games he played as a rookie and 38 of the 51 games he played in Las Vegas overall. He finished his stint with the Raiders with 281 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, eight quarterback hits, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, 19 passes defended, and three interceptions.
Hobbs was a surprise success as a rookie after being a fifth-round draft pick out of the University of Illinois, and forged a reputation in his time with the Raiders as being tough against the run. According to Packers Wire, which in 2025 published an in-depth statistical look at Hobbs's career with the Raiders, Hobbs finished in the 79th percentile for cornerbacks in stops per game (tackles that result in a failure for the offense), and in the 81st percentile in solo tackles for snap. He also ranked well in penalties (11 in four seasons) and was labeled by Packers Wire as being "above average" in man coverage. But there were other areas where he didn't score as well, in particular in reception percentage allowed (16th percentile), and forced incompletion rate (29th percentile). Packers Wire also mentioned that Hobbs didn't perform as well in zone coverage, had issues with missed tackles, and performed much better in the slot than as a boundary corner, a criticism that also came out of his time in Green Bay.
He'll probably be motivated
Hobbs seems to have kept an underdog mentality throughout his career, which started with him being rated as a two-star prospect coming out of Male High School in Louisville (Ky.) and continued into the draft, where he was drafted lower than he felt he should have gone.
"I won't forget the guys who were taken before me," Hobbs said after being drafted, per Raiders.com. "The guys who I feel like didn't do as much as me but were still picked up. I'm just so thankful for the Raiders for taking a chance. They won't regret it. They're getting the best underdog they've ever drafted."
Hobbs kept that mentality into his time with the Packers, where he felt he had something to prove despite the size of his contract.
"Have you seen, 'Nate Hobbs is a top corner, Nate Hobbs is top five?' Nah, so even if I was a $100 million guy, in my heart of hearts, I'm an underdog, and I'm never going to forget that," Hobbs said after his signing in Green Bay, per SI.com. "And I could be the top corner, whatever the case is. Still an underdog, because I had to scratch and claw and fight to get here. Nothing was given to me, everything was taken. I say, there's two ways to get respect. You either earn it or you take it. I like taking it. I'm going to be an underdog till I die. That's just me."
Hobbs will be joining a 49ers cornerback room that currently features Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green, with Upton Stout at nickel. Expect more players to be added as the team will surely continue seeking upgrades at that position, but Hobbs should at least have a good shot at competing for a key backup role. He'll likely be as fired up as ever after things went south in Green Bay.
Outspoken about mental health
In 2024, Hobbs joined the list of NFL players who have spoken out about mental health issues he's experienced in his career. He addressed a small crowd in Las Vegas about dealing with anxiety.
"The fact that I'm able to sit in front of a plethora of people and tell them about my emotions, that gives me strength," Hobbs said, per Raiders.com. "I'm willing to put myself out there and still live life. My mom used to always tell me, 'Sometimes you just have to do things scared.'"
Hobbs said he's dealt with anxiety throughout his life. Among the challenges he's faced are losing his father when he was 12 years old.
"Everybody deals with mental health, me and you, no matter how well you had it," Hobbs said. "Some people deal with it more than others, some people need real help. If I can be that voice, I will."
Hobbs also gives back to the Louisville community through his football camp, which has been operating throughout his NFL career.
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