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On the heels of another disappointing early exit in the 2024 playoffs, the Green Bay Packers have been itching to start 2025 training camp for months. While most of the team's buzz has been positive early on, cornerback Nate Hobbs and running back MarShawn Lloyd have not gotten off to the hottest starts.
Before training camp, the focus of the Packers' offseason had been on their petition to ban the Philadelphia Eagles' “tush push” play and their dragged-out Jaire Alexander fiasco. Since reconvening in camp, Green Bay's headlines have been dominated by their crop of incoming talent. Hobbs, who signed a four-year, $48 million deal in free agency, tops the team's newest defensive acquisitions.
Although technically not a first-year player, Lloyd is essentially preparing for his rookie season. The Packers selected him in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft to complement Josh Jacobs in the backfield, but Lloyd played just 10 snaps in 2024. The USC alum spent several weeks on injured reserve with a myriad of leg injuries before ultimately getting shut down due to appendicitis.
The 2025 season is supposed to begin a new chapter for Hobbs and Lloyd, and there is still more than enough time for that to be true. Training camp stories are often mere footnotes by Week 4. However, neither Nate Hobbs nor MarShawn Lloyd has had a good start to the Packers' 2025 training camp.
CB Nate Hobbs has not had best start to the Packers training camp
Nate Hobbs, who signed a lucrative deal with the team in free agency, has stirred up the most drama in the team's training camp thus far. The Packers brought him in to be a defensive tone-setter, but the 26-year-old appeared to cross the line a few too many times. Green Bay has since dismissed the issue, but Hobbs has been disciplined by head coach Matt LaFleur on multiple occasions.
Hobbs initially raised concerns about being too physical with the Packers' wideouts during non-padded practice sessions. He apologized to the team for his actions, but noted that he would not be changing his style of play.
A few sets later, the situation worsened when Hobbs hit Lloyd low, causing the running back to limp off the field in agony. Lloyd did not return for the rest of practice and seems to be out of commission for the time being.
Although the Packers have been adamant that Lloyd's injury was not caused by Hobbs — general manager Brian Gutekunst claimed it occurred before the hit on that same play — the team still disciplined its prized free agency signing for his actions. LaFleur held Hobbs out for the next handful of plays while conversing with him on the sideline.
Hobbs has publicly responded to the incident, saying he respects LaFleur's decision and is sorry about Lloyd's injury. He insisted that the tackle was a byproduct of his positioning while dealing with a blocker. With the locker room seemingly on his side, the situation does not appear to weigh too heavily on his new team.
The Packers desperately need an outspoken leader like Hobbs to take charge, but not in the way he is approaching it thus far.
Injury woes continue to plague RB MarShawn Lloyd
Even if Hobbs did not cause his injury, MarShawn Lloyd landing back on the injury report is about as poor of a start to the season as he could have. The Packers have yet to report the severity of his issue, but Lloyd appears destined to miss a significant portion of the preseason. For a second-year player as unproven as he is, losing that valuable time could be detrimental to his progression.
As shocking as it might seem, Lloyd's pesky health concerns could already have him on the roster bubble. The Packers were not concerned enough with him to draft another running back in 2025, but are already full of options, particularly with former undrafted rookie Emmanuel Wilson being much more effective in 2024 than the team expected. With Jacobs looking like one of the best rushers in the league, Green Bay could cleanse itself of the headache Lloyd is turning out to be.
Green Bay will not cut Lloyd yet, but he already seems to be frustrating the franchise and its fan base. He cannot be blamed for most of his issues, but Lloyd picking up another injury in training camp is a significant red flag. For a player who was so durable in college, he cannot stay on the field long enough to even showcase his skill set.
The Packers intend to further Jordan Love's development in 2025, but they ended the previous season as one of the most run-dominant teams in the league. With Adam Stenavich returning as offensive coordinator, nothing much should change. Jacobs still mans the backfield, but Lloyd was supposed to be the team's future. At this point, Lloyd staying on the field for all 18 games seems like a pipe dream.
