Entering the 2025 season, cornerback is a position of concern for the Green Bay Packers. The team released star corner Jaire Alexander and replaced him with Nate Hobbs.
However, Hobbs sustained an injury early in camp and is currently sidelined. The veteran is expected to return by Week 1, where he will resume one of the team’s top corner roles, alongside Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine.
After those two, the depth chart is a bit up in the air. There’s Bo Melton, who the team converted from wide receiver to corner this offseason. While he could be an important player this season, the Packers have another corner who could emerge as a secret weapon of sorts in the secondary. That player is Kalen King.
Kalen King is a name to watch in the Packers' cornerback room
King was drafted by Green Bay in the seventh round of the 2024 Draft and spent time on the team’s practice squad as a rookie. While in college, he was initially expected to be an early-round prospect, but a bad final season at Penn State tanked his stock and resulted in him going in Round 7.
This offseason, though, King has been finding the promise that once made him an exciting prospect. The second-year corner has put together an impressive training camp and also played well in the team’s first preseason game. According to PFF, he was Green Bay’s highest-graded corner against the New York Jets after recording three tackles and a pass deflection.
If King can maintain his level for the rest of training camp and the preseason, he will secure himself an active roster spot.
While he won’t jump to the top of the depth chart, he is putting his name in the mix for a backup role, most likely in the slot. If necessary, King could find himself on the field playing an important role for the Packers.
He needs to continue to stack success before roster cutdown day.