Packers: Kevin King has a lot to prove in 2021 season

Kevin King didn’t have his best season in 2020, but he’s been a key player for the Green Bay Packers over the past four years and will be again this season.

Unfortunately, players are often remembered for what they’ve done recently rather than the big picture. For King, his most recent game was a bad performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game. It closed out an up-and-down season for King where he battled injuries and missed five games.

King became a free agent this offseason but the Packers brought him back on a one-year deal. It’s a “prove it” type deal.

And King has a lot to prove. This season is an opportunity to remind fans that he can be an every-week starter at cornerback as he has been throughout his career.

It was only two years ago that King had his best season. He played in 15 of 16 regular-season games in 2019 and led the team with five interceptions, while also defending 15 passes. King was excellent throughout the season and what impressed the most was how he came up with plays at the most important moments in games.

This offseason, the Packers drafted Eric Stokes, a player many see as a potential replacement for King, even if not this season.

Even if Stokes is a starter in the near future, King can still be a valuable player in the secondary for Joe Barry’s defense.

King needs to stay healthy, something he did in 2019. But if he can get back to his best this season, it will be huge for the Packers’ defense.

With King, Jaire Alexander, and Stokes, the Packers’ top three at cornerback has the potential to be very good. But there’s no doubt King struggled in 2020, and he now enters a new season with a chance to remind everyone how good he can be.