
Packers CB Nate Hobbs has knee surgery, hopes to return for regular season opener
Nate Hobbs had surgery on his knee according to Sports Illustrated's Bill Huber, which has been described as a 'minor procedure.'
Hobbs' timetable for return is expected to be around three weeks, which would still give him a week to ramp up for Green Bay's first game of the season, when they face the defending NFC North champion Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field.
The surgery is believed to be preventative, cleaning up an issue which Hobbs may have been able to play through if necessary.
Still, the Packers and their corner took the more cautious approach to ensure he is healthy for the long haul, rather than risking the knee issue becoming more chronic.
Hobbs missed Green Bay's last two practices, including Family Night, where general manager Brian Gutekunst first gave details on the severity of the injury the newly signed corner is dealing with.
Speaking at the annual open practice at Lambeau Field, Gutekunst said of Hobbs: 'We won't see him tonight, he's gonna be working through some things over the next couple of weeks.'
The injury likely means Hobbs misses all of Green Bay's preseason games, although it is unlikely he would have featured much as a nailed on starter.
The joint practices with the Colts and Seahawks could have been beneficial to be involved in, but it appears Hobbs will be absent for those as well.
Green Bay was able to make a timely transaction Monday which could help cover for Hobbs for the rest of training camp or potentially into the regular season if there are any unforeseen setbacks with his recovery.
Corey Ballentine was re-signed for a second stint with the Packers after being released by the Colts last week, with Green Bay releasing fellow cornerback Gregory Junior in a corresponding move.
Ballentine, 29, was a core special teamer for Green Bay in his first spell, but also provided solid cornerback play in 2023 especially, when he played more extensive snaps on defense.
In the 11 games Ballentine played 15 or more coverage snaps for the Packers between 2023 and 2024, he had an average PFF coverage grade of 61.7, just above an average grade.
Hobbs signed with Green Bay on a four-year, $48 million contract on the first day of free agency back in March, and has made headlines for his aggressive, assertive playstyle so far in camp.
It has sometimes been to a fault, as he has been spoken to by the coaching staff on multiple occasions, first for laying a hit on Dontayvion Wicks in a non-padded practice, then for going low for a tackle on MarShawn Lloyd in a practice where players were told not to go to ground.
He was removed from team drills for a few plays for his second infraction, but Green Bay's coaches have also gushed about the intensity and energy Hobbs has brought to the team.
At Family Night, Gutekunst praised Hobbs for his versatility to play both in the slot and on the perimeter, and said he has: 'All the aggressiveness and physicality we were looking for when we brought him in here.'
The Packers will have to make do without the tone-setting presence of Hobbs for the next few weeks.

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USA Today
17 minutes ago
- USA Today
5 Things Colts want to see from Anthony Richardson in preseason game vs. Ravens
Here are several things that the Indianapolis Colts will be looking for from Anthony Richardson as he starts against the Ravens. What are Shane Steichen and the coaching staff looking to see from Anthony Richardson in the Indianapolis Colts' preseason matchup with the Baltimore Ravens? As Steichen has said on multiple occasions, he is looking for consistency at the quarterback position. Whoever can best provide that will be the Week 1 starter. However, consistency isn't only about how many passes are completed. That's obviously a key part of it, but it's not the only thing. So what other elements will be a part of that decision-making process? Over the course of training camp, Steichen and passing game coordinator Alex Tanney have each shared what the team is looking for from both Richardson and Daniel Jones. What Shane Steichen wants to see from Anthony Richardson and Colts' QBs "I think the operation, the consistency on a day-to-day basis," Steichen told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. "Obviously, knowing the situation, taking care of the football, being smart, and finding completions. We gotta make sure our offense is moving at a high rate up and down the field, and that's what we'll be looking for." What Alex Tanney wants to see from Anthony Richardson and Colts' QBs "It's quite a few things," Tanney said, via Locked on Colts. "It's command of the offense and the huddle. It's command of the line of scrimmage--if you have multiple plays called, getting us in and out of the right play. Moving guys pre-snap, snapping things at the right time, and then making good decisions with the football, and being the leader of the offense. It's all-encompassing. There's a lot of things that go into it." A priority for Richardson this offseason was on being more accurate on the short to intermediate throws. To help accomplish that, he focused on his footwork, which for a quarterback, is where proper mechanics and accuracy often begin. The results from that work have shown up on the practice field, including during the joint practice with Baltimore. Steichen said that Richardson will play a quarter and a half with Jones then taking over. Against Green Bay next week, the roles will flip.


New York Times
20 minutes ago
- New York Times
Why Packers QB Jordan Love is going to run more in 2025
GREEN BAY, Wis. — What do Mac Jones, Mason Rudolph and Aaron Rodgers have in common? They all had more rushing yards last season than Packers quarterback Jordan Love. Love missed two full games with a sprained MCL (Weeks 2 and 3) and parts of two more because of groin (Week 8) and elbow (Week 18) injuries. He wasn't always healthy when playing, either. Even so, he ranked rather low for a player of his athleticism in rushing yards among quarterbacks (tied for 34th with 83) and rushing attempts at the position (tied for 30th with 25), according to TruMedia. Advertisement Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich was asked last week if he'd like Love to run a little bit more. 'Absolutely,' Stenavich said bluntly. 'I think that's a huge weapon and Jordan has that ability to make some big plays down the field … we encourage that, for sure.' If Love uses his legs more — to create passing plays off schedule, but more so to take off on his own — it would unlock another dimension to Green Bay's offense. Don't expect the Packers to devise designed quarterback runs for Love like they might for Malik Willis, but expect Love to turn on the jets more in 2025 for multiple reasons. One, he's healthy. Love didn't routinely practice in full until around the midway point of last season. Two, he will make a more concerted effort to run himself instead of reverting to check downs so soon if his initial reads are cloudy. 'I think every game there was a couple options or instances where I could've took off and run,' Love said Wednesday. 'I think early on, some of it was with the injury, just not wanting to get out and do as much, but I think even later in the season, there was a lot of opportunities for me. You look back and you're like, 'Man I could've took off and run.' A little of it is just understanding what the defense is doing, what coverage we're getting, how the D-line might be playing some of those games where they start twisting and doing different things, understanding where the holes in the pocket might be to have the opportunity to step up and escape. 'And then, like you said, just understanding that maybe sometimes maybe not go straight to the check down right now. Maybe take that extra second to find a lane and get out of there and create an opportunity with your legs. So I think half-and-half with the injury and then just understanding when those times are to take off and use your legs.' Jordan Love sees a lane and takes off for an 18-yard run — Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 3, 2025 It's still important for quarterbacks to keep their eyes downfield when off-schedule instead of simply taking off when the pocket collapses. Former Packers quarterback coach Tom Clements emphasized the importance of that since doing so can turn moderate scrambles into bigger off-schedule passing plays. Advertisement Take Week 1 of last season, for example. With 5:22 remaining in the second quarter and the Packers facing a third-and-10 from their 30-yard line, trailing 14-12 against the Eagles, Love escaped through the B gap and might've been able to scurry for a first down. Instead, he kept his eyes upfield and hit a wide-open Jayden Reed on a deep over route for a 70-yard touchdown. JAYDEN REED LEFT WIDE OPEN FOR THE 70-YARD TD. 📺: #GBvsPHI on Peacock — NFL (@NFL) September 7, 2024 Love needs to use his legs more, but he also must make some split-second decisions barely behind the line of scrimmage to throw the ball instead. 'Jordan does a great job, and especially any quarterback that is playing on the move and has to react, you gotta keep your eyes up because you just don't know,' Willis said. 'Sometimes it turns into backyard football. Sometimes the guys out there work with you and then the last resort is running it, obviously, and you obviously wanna be aware of the situation. Like, is it third-and-2? Maybe we don't take this deep shot and we just go get 2 yards and dive forward. It's just very, understanding the situation.' Even if Love bypasses certain scrambles to throw the ball off-schedule, it's a fair bet we'll see far more than 25 runs from the third-year starter if he stays healthy in 2025. Love isn't recognized as a running quarterback like Baltimore's Lamar Jackson and Washington's Jayden Daniels, and for good reason, but don't be so quick to put him in the pocket passer box just because he hasn't always showcased the other part of his game like those guys do. In 2023, Love ran 50 times for 247 yards and four touchdowns while playing the full season. His 24-yard scramble on third-and-10 against the Falcons that year extended an eventual touchdown drive. The next week, he got shifty in the open field and juked linebacker Demario Davis on fourth-and-goal from the 1 in Green Bay's 17-point comeback win against the Saints. He's hardly a snail back there. Similar full-season health and a cognizant effort to run could boost those numbers further. 'I think he's pretty fast,' the mobile Willis said with a smile. 'He hit, what, 20 miles per hour the other day? Yeah, he can get it going. He wasn't able to last year, but I think he's feeling a lot better and he look good out there.' 'Jordan's a dual-threat guy,' Reed added. 'I've played basketball with him. He's athletic. He can change direction … it definitely makes a difference to the offense.' Made 55 yards in the air look easy@emplifybellin — Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 5, 2025 Love said he likes to make practice reps as game-like as possible. But how, when practices are scripted and defenders aren't allowed to touch him, can he replicate running himself to work on it before the regular season? 'That's the tough part,' Love said. 'You've always got to put yourself in the game at practice, and obviously, the D-line's staying away from us and they do a good job of that, but there is some times where there's a hole in the pocket and you feel it. You might feel man coverage and you just take off and run. I think as much as I can keep that up and keep not forcing myself to do it, but just being conscious that, 'Hey, if the opportunity presents itself, make it happen in practice because that's how it's going to happen in games.'' Advertisement The Packers ranked eighth in the NFL last season with 27.1 points per game and fifth with 370.8 total yards per game. They also ranked fifth with 146.8 rushing yards per game. It's not like they're starving for a ground game or offense as a whole. If they want to go from good to great as a team, however, adding a couple of effective quarterback rushes every game certainly won't hurt. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle


Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
NFL Preseason Betting Odds, Picks For August 7: IND-BAL, CIN-PHI, LV-SEA
Thursday night's NFL preseason slate starts with Anthony Richardson and the Colts vs. the Ravens at 7 p.m. ET on NFL Network. Thursday night's NFL preseason slate starts with Anthony Richardson and the Colts vs. the Ravens at 7 p.m. ET on NFL Network. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Week 1 of the 2025 NFL preseason is officially upon us. Thursday night's three-game slate gets underway with Colts vs. Ravens in a showcase one of the most intriguing quarterback battles in the league: Anthony Richardson vs. Daniel Jones. Tonight's action also includes a battle between the Bengals and Eagles, and a reunion of sorts between Pete Carroll's Raiders and his former team, the Seahawks. With kickoff of Colts-Ravens nearly upon us, let's get right into the betting odds, breakdowns and picks for tonight. Colts vs. Ravens Betting Odds DK FD bet365 IND spread -6 (-108) -5.5 (-120) -6 (-110) BAL spread +6 (-112) +5.5 (+100) +6 (-110) IND ML -265 -270 -260 BAL ML +215 +220 +210 Total 36.5 (o-108; u-112) 36.5 (o-105; u-115) 36.5 (o-110; u-110) How To Watch Colts vs. Ravens Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET TV: NFL Network Colts vs. Ravens Betting Analysis, Pick Last year, teams with quarterback battles reliably put up substantial numbers offensively. The Broncos scored 34 points in Week 1, 27 in Week 2 and 38 in Week in 2024. That was a rare example of a three-way quarterback battle, as Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson were all in the mix, but it was still worth noting. And amid the Raiders' QB battle between Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell last year, they scored 23 points in Week 1 of the preseason, but just 12 in Week 2. The latter result showed that two signal callers fighting for the starting job doesn't guarantee a huge scoring night. Still, the logic behind the "multiple quarterbacks who need to show out = a big scoring night by that offense" formula is sound. So, we'll likely see the Colts score plenty of points in this game as the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Anthony Richardson, and Daniels -- who has 69 starts to his name -- both stake their claims to lead Shane Steichen's Colts offense. Steichen said this week that Richardson will start vs. the Ravens and play about a quarter-and-a-half, and Jones will start next week against the Packers. The Ravens not only had their reign of preseason dominance from '16-22 upended in 2023, when they went 1-2, but they also were 1-2 in last year's exhibition slate. Still, this team is 45-16 all-time in preseason under John Harbaugh (including 24-6 at home), and three of their four preseason losses the last two years came by 6 points or fewer. With that in mind, I'll happily take Baltimore +6. Colts vs. Ravens best bets: Colts Team Total Over 21.5 (-105 at DraftKings) -- 1 unit Colts 2+ Passing Touchdowns (+240 at FanDuel) -- 0.5 units Ravens +6 (-110 at bet365) -- 0.5 units Bengals vs. Eagles Betting Odds DK FD bet365 CIN spread -6 (-112) -5.5 (-120) -6 (-110) PHI spread +6 (-108) +5.5 (+100) +6 (-110) CIN ML -258 -240 -260 PHI ML +210 +190 +210 Total 37.5 (o-105; u-115) 37.5 (o-105; u-115) 37.5 (o-110; u-110) How To Watch Bengals vs. Eagles Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET TV: not available on national TV Bengals vs. Eagles Betting Analysis, Pick Two great examples of offenses with zero starting quarterback uncertainy whatsoever meet in Philadelphia tonight. Eagles backup Tanner McKee is expected to play the majority of the reps. If he's anywhere near as sharp as he was in his appearances against the Cowboys and the Giants last year (he completed 30-for-45 passes in those games, with 4 TDs and 0 picks), Philly should be able to score some points, even if the starters stay on the sidelines for most/all of the night. Bengals coach Zac Taylor said that they plan to play Joe Burrow and the starters for a quarter, which could produce some early fireworks at home -- and probably explains why Cincinnati is a 6-point road favorite. At DK, the Bengals are listed -0.5 on the first-quarter spread. That is an obvious but nevertheless tempting play with Burrow and the first-string offense in action. The other play I like tonight is the Over. Bengals vs. Eagles best bets: Bengals -0.5 (-105 at DraftKings) -- 1 unit Over 37.5 (-105 at FanDuel) -- 0.5 units Raiders vs. Seahawks Betting Odds DK FD bet365 LV spread -4.5 (-112) -4.5 (-115) -4.5 (-110) SEA spread +4.5 (-108) +4.5 (-105) +4.5 (-110) LV ML -230 -230 -230 SEA ML +190 +190 +190 Total 37.5 (o-102; u-118) 37.5 (o-110; u-110) 37 (o-110; u-110) How To Watch Raiders vs. Seahawks Kickoff: 10 p.m. ET TV: NFL Network Raiders vs. Seahawks Betting Analysis, Pick Seattle has made no secret about the fact that most of its starters won't see the field in this game. Related: Vegas -- like Indianapolis and Cincinnati in the early games -- is favored on the road in this contest. While rookie Jalen Milroe and Drew Lock will take most of the quarterback snaps for the Seahawks, starter Geno Smith, backup Aidan O'Connell and sixth-round rookie third-stringer Cam Miller could all be in action for Las Vegas, as Pete Carroll left the door open to his starters getting work in this game. With the Seahawks leaning on reserves and the Raiders yet to clarify their plans for the starters, this is a great example of a preseason game that is a crapshoot -- and a stay-away -- from a betting perspective. Given the possibility of O'Connell, plus two rookies in Milroe and Miller, seeing most of the QB reps, the Under is the play I would take if I had to place a wager on this game. Best bet: Under 37.5 (-110 at FD) -- 0.5 units Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through any links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.