The Packers certainly liked what they saw from cornerback Tyron Herring during training camp this summer, as the undrafted free agent out of Dartmouth and Delaware got some significant playing time and tallied six tackles and a pass breakup in his summer stint with the team. Ultimately, though, he was let go on cutdown day before eventually signing with the Patriots.
But after the Packers lost practice-squadder Micah Robinson this week to the Titans, they turned around and brought back Herring, who had been released by New England earlier this month. Given the Packers’ lack of depth at the cornerback position, having a trustworthy player at the position in the practice unit is of some importance.
The Packers also added defensive lineman Dante Barnett to the practice squad. Barnett is out of Birmingham, England, and joins the team as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program.
Nate Hobbs Addresses Benching
The cornerback position is under special scrutiny this week after Nate Hobbs, one of the team’s top free-agent signings this offseason, was all but benched in Week 8 against the Steelers in favor of Carrington Valentine. Hobbs had been playing an average of 53.4 snaps per game in the first seven weeks, or 77% of the Packers’ defensive snaps.
But Hobbs was struggling to fit in with his new team, and played only four snaps on Sunday.
Hobbs addressed his benching on Wednesday: “Just 100% of the snaps, be wired in and focused like I am most of the snaps. For 100% of the time at the corner position, if you give up 10% of catches that’s on the field and the other 90%, you’re doing a job, but you still be can considered not doing your job or not playing good. It’s being focused 100% of the time.”
