The Las Vegas Raiders have been one of the most banged up teams in the NFL this season.
On both sides of the ball, several key starters have missed significant time at multiple points in the season.
In Week 14 against the Buccaneers, Las Vegas started several players who began the season on the practice squad or were out of the building entirely. This kind of desperation stems from a lack of healthy bodies.
Nate Hobbs has not played since he sustained an ankle injury against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9, which was all the way back before the bye week.
However, a video from Levi Edwards of Raiders.com suggests that reinforcements could be on the way for the Raiders' secondary.
Nate Hobbs has returned to practice. The #Raiders cornerback has been out of action since suffering an ankle injury Week 9 in Cincinnati. pic.twitter.com/oVEb9AKd8J
— Levi Edwards (@theleviedwards) December 12, 2024
Hobbs, when healthy, is arguably the team's top cornerback in coverage, and surely the most solid in the run game.
His return to practice could mean that he will be available in Week 15, but there is no guarantee he'll be ready. He does have an extra day to get healthy because the team won't play until Monday Night.
In his absence, younger corners like Decamerion Richardson, Kyu Blu Kelly, and Sam Webb have taken on larger roles and gained valuable experience to grow from.
But if the team's best players are ready to lace them up again, you insert them back into the starting lineup, no question.
Though the team has been eliminated from the playoffs since Hobbs last played, it would be good to see him suit up at least a few more times before the season is over.
In a way, the results of these games are meaningless (outside of draft order implications), but Hobbs is not currently under contract with the Raiders after this season.
He will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and while it is likely that the team will bring him back if they can, anything can happen when players hit the open market.