Packers: Important season for Kevin King in 2019

Kevin King is entering an important 2019 season for the Green Bay Packers.

When healthy, Kevin King is an important starter at cornerback for the Green Bay Packers, but he’s entering a big season in 2019.

In his first two seasons, King has made 44 tackles, seven pass defenses and has one interception. He is one of the team’s best cornerbacks and, with second-year Jaire Alexander, gives the Packers an excellent starting duo at the position.

But King’s injury history is a concern. Since the start of 2017, King has missed more games than he’s played, featuring in just 15 regular season games and missing 17.

King finished the 2018 season on injured reserve after dealing with a hamstring injury.

Rob Demovsky of ESPN reported earlier in the offseason that King didn’t participate in April’s minicamp but did return for OTAs. And the good news is Packers coach Matt LaFleur expects King to be ready to go at training camp, which begins in two weeks.

This is an important season for King. The Packers moved on from Bashaud Breeland in free agency, but they will be hoping Josh Jackson makes a second-year jump, and they also drafted Ka’Dar Hollman earlier this year.

When King is healthy, he’s a starter in Mike Pettine’s defense — of the 15 games King has played for the Packers in his career, he’s started 11 of them. If he’s ready to go at the start of the season, he’ll likely be a starter with Alexander.

But if King doesn’t stay healthy this year and misses multiple games due to injury, the Packers’ depth at cornerback could become an issue, and it may become a position of need next offseason.

King has all the talent to be a successful part of a new-look secondary in 2019, but the key is staying healthy in his third season.