Packers 2021 roster preview: Make-or-break year for Kevin King
Kevin King has been a starter in the Green Bay Packers‘ defense since being drafted in the second round in 2017.
He was a free agent this offseason but the Packers have re-signed him to a one-year deal.
King played well two years ago, leading the team with five interceptions, but was inconsistent last season. The Packers will be hoping he can get back to his best this year.
2020 stats
King played in 11 games in the regular season, making five pass defenses and zero interceptions.
2020 review
It was an up-and-down season for King. The 2019 season was the best of King’s career, and it’s no coincidence it was also his healthiest. King played 15 games that season, but missed five games with injury last year.
According to Pro Football Reference, King allowed 63.2 percent of passes in his coverage to be completed as well as a passer rating of 96.2, both career-highs.
He was also unable to come up with game-changing plays as often in 2020 as we saw the season before. King made five interceptions two years ago, often in key moments, but had none in 2020. He did have a fumble recovery near the goal line against the Carolina Panthers, which proved to be a huge moment in the matchup.
Unfortunately for King, his season has been mostly remembered for a couple of plays in the NFC title game. It was far from his best performance, but it shouldn’t take away from the fact that he’s been a good starter for the Packers.
Will he make the roster?
Yes. The Packers’ cornerback depth isn’t great and King provides plenty of experience. He may even keep his starting job early on.
What to expect in 2021
It’s a prove-it year for King who will be a free agent again next offseason. It won’t be surprising if he begins the season as a starter, but he will face some competition from first-round pick Eric Stokes.
If King can get back to his best, which we saw two years ago, it will have been a great move to bring him back.
The biggest concern for King is whether he can stay healthy. In four seasons with the Packers, he’s only played in 41 of a possible 64 games. His best year came when he didn’t miss much time with injury, which was in 2019.
Bringing back King made sense given his experience and because he’s been a key starter over the past four years. But King needs to get back to his best this season to be re-signed by the Packers next spring.