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Even though things look good so far, there’s still a reason the Green Bay Packers could panic. Injuries are certainly part of that equation. However, there’s good news in the form of a Packers’ cornerback who is eyeing a Week 1 return after knee surgery.
It looks like a short recovery period for a knee injury, according to a post on X by Adam Schefter.
Packers cornerback Nate Hobbs underwent knee surgery over the weekend to repair a meniscus tear, sources told @RobDemovsky, but he could be back for the regular-season opener Sept. 7 against the Lions.
Hobbs currently ranks as the nickel-back starter, according to the Packers’ depth chart on espn.com.
The injury wasn’t severe enough to require surgery, according to espn.com.
“Hobbs could have played with the injury, according to another source,” Rob Demovsky wrote. “But it could have possibly gotten worse, so the decision was made to take care of it immediately.”
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur didn’t commit to the Week 1 prediction.
“I’m not going to put a timetable on it,” LaFleur said Tuesday. “But unfortunately, he had to have something cleaned up. We’re hoping to get him back here sooner than later.”
Hobbs played his first four seasons for the Raiders. He missed six games last year and 16 over the previous three seasons. Hobbs was signed as an insurance policy for the oft-injured Jaire Alexander, who eventually got released.
This is a pivotal season for the Packers, who have been among the league’s youngest teams over the last couple of years. That has begun to change, and the Packers can’t blame youth if they don’t make a serious run this year, according to mininggazette.com.
“We’re not a young team no more,” three-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Kenny Clark said. “We can’t use that excuse. We’ve got to get after it.”
General manager Brian Gutekunst added that the urgency exists in 2025.
“Us old guys that have been in this league for a long time understand the opportunities that you have in this league … you don’t have a lot of them,” Gutekunst said. “So the understanding of that, I think, takes a little time. And there’s where I think the urgency for me is.
“You’ve got to understand what’s in front of us. We’ve got a really good football team, the capability of being there, and you’ve got to take advantage of that.”
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