Jonathan Gannon Era Begins in Green Bay - and Nate Hobbs May Be the First Domino to Fall
The Green Bay Packers made it official on Monday: Jonathan Gannon is their new defensive coordinator. And while the ink on the contract is barely dry, don’t be surprised if Gannon wastes no time putting his stamp on this defense.
One of the first moves that could signal a new direction? Moving on from veteran cornerback Nate Hobbs.
Let’s be real-Hobbs was brought in to stabilize the outside corner spot, but his 2025 campaign fell flat. Opposing quarterbacks posted a passer rating of 125.3 when targeting him, and he managed just two pass breakups all season.
No interceptions. No game-changing moments.
And for a Packers defense that struggled with consistency, Hobbs became a symbol of that inconsistency. Too often, he was caught out of position or beaten on routes that should’ve been locked down.
Enter Gannon, a coach known for his aggressive, detail-oriented approach. As a former head coach and architect of a Super Bowl-caliber defense, he’s not coming to Green Bay to maintain the status quo.
Cutting Hobbs might not just be a performance-based decision-it could be a tone-setter. A message to the locker room: accountability starts now.
Financially, the move makes sense too. According to Spotrac, releasing Hobbs after June 1 would free up $8.8 million in cap space, while only incurring a $4 million dead cap hit in 2026. That’s a significant chunk of change for a player who didn’t live up to expectations-and it could be reinvested into younger, more scheme-fitting talent.
Timing is also a factor. Hobbs is due a $6.25 million bonus early in the new league year, and with the draft and free agency looming, the Packers have every incentive to act quickly.
There’s no shortage of cornerback talent available this offseason, and Gannon will likely have strong opinions on the types of players he wants in his secondary. This isn’t just about cutting ties-it’s about opening the door for a full-on defensive reset.
For Gannon, this is an opportunity to reshape the identity of a unit that’s been searching for one. The Packers’ playoff exit exposed some glaring holes, especially in the secondary, and Gannon’s arrival gives the team a fresh set of eyes-and a proven defensive mind-to address them. Letting go of Hobbs would be the first step in that process.
There’s also a cultural element here. Making a tough call on a veteran signals to the rest of the roster that past performance doesn’t guarantee future security.
It raises the standard. It tells the locker room that accountability matters and that every role is earned, not given.
Jonathan Gannon is here to build something in Green Bay. And if that means tough decisions early on-like parting ways with Nate Hobbs-then so be it.
The Packers didn’t bring in Gannon to play it safe. They brought him in to fix a defense that’s been stuck in neutral for too long.
And that process may already be underway.