Niners Add Hobbs for Secondary Depth

0:00On March 31st, the San Francisco 49ers snagged cornerback Nate Hobbs as an unrestricted free agent from the Raiders. Head coach Kyle Shanahan broke it down, saying they've had eyes on him for a while from scrimmages. Hobbs bring serious versatility to the secondary, but they ain't eyeing him for safety. Shanahan laid out his spot clear. Hobbs backs up up to stout a nickel if needed, and jumps outside corner if Deamador Lenore or Renardo Greene, sit out. Likewise, the Niners swallowed $3.1 million in dead money on his one-year deal, saving just $270,000 if they cut. Him. Fans and analysts see this as depth insurance, especially after Chase Lucas filled slot duties last season in Week 5, 7, and 22. Mostly on special teams, Hobbs knows the drill too. He logged 29 special team snaps in 2025 after zero the year before. Digging back, the Niners might have eyed Hobbs as early as 2022, when the nor played outside and Jimmy Ward missed time.

1:02That year, Hobbs racked up 500 snaps wide and 106 in the slot during his rookie deal. This move signals the Niners always plan Lenore, outside long-term, beefing up the back end without shaking up the lineup. Def like Hobbs keeps them rolling smooth into camp. That's your NFL News Today update, AI powered and always on.