Nate Hobbs's new four-year contract is really a one-year deal, with three one-year options

The free-agency period entails a storm of reports regarding new contracts, with all of them painted in the light most favorable to the sources for those reports — the players' agents.

The truth inevitably follows. The challenge is to make time to get it and to scrutinize it.

For new Packers cornerback Nate Hobbs, his reported four-year, $48 million contract is a one-year deal with three one-year, team-held options.

We've seen the full breakdown. The contract pays out $16 million to sign and a non-guaranteed base salary of $1.2 million for 2025. He can earn a $400,000 workout bonus, and up to $600,000 in per-game active roster bonuses.

There are no guarantees beyond the signing bonus. On the third day of the 2026 league year, Hobbs earns a $6.25 million roster bonus. If it's exercised, he'll be on track to receive a $1.8 million base salary in 2026, with the same $400,000 workout bonus and $600000 in per-game roster bonuses.

After 2025, the Packers can rip the deal up and pay out $17.2 million, plus up to $1 million more in workout and per-game roster bonuses. The 2026 roster bonus forces them to do it early.

That's the truth of the contract. It's one four-year contract for the player. It's four one-year contracts for the team.