One Last Chance for Kevin King
Kevin King is back to Green Bay on a one-year contract.

You probably have a very strong opinion about Kevin King’s return to Green Bay. Regardless of what that opinion may be, you must accept the fact that King will be back in 2021. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, King is back with the Packers for one more year on a deal worth up to $6 million. If we assume this is his final season in Green Bay, this will be his last chance to leave fans with a different perspective on his time with the Packers. Maybe this is the ultimate redemption story, or maybe, it’s something Green Bay will live to regret.
Had King signed with another team this offseason, his final memory with the Packers would have been his abysmal showing in the NFC Championship Game. It was easily King’s worst game since being selected 33rd overall in 2017. Not many players can compound the mistake of surrendering a Hail Mary to Scotty Miller at the end of the first half by daggering their respective team with a game-deciding pass interference penalty. Somehow, King found a way.
There was plenty of justification behind King’s performance to make it the final chapter of his time in Green Bay. However, Brian Gutekunst has prioritized retaining players he believes will help this team get to the Super Bowl. Clearly, Gutekunst thinks King can still help this team win.
The good news for King is that his return will have him paired with corner Jaire Alexander for at least one more year. And while Alexander is a star in his own right, King has been good enough. However, good enough might be all they need for one more run at it.
Green Bay was priced out of signing guys like William Jackson, Adoree Jackson, and Kyle Fuller. If King wasn’t back, the Packers were left with a ton of question marks.
Behind Alexander and King, they are left with Josh Jackson, Ka’dar Hollman, and Kabion Ento. Green Bay could have used one of their first two draft picks to select a corner, but that also comes with its own risks. By choosing to wait, you risk not getting the guy you want, and you also risk drafting a player who isn’t ready to contribute right away. Thus, leaving the defense with a huge hole they must overcome.
The Packers at least have a pretty good idea of what they are getting in King. When healthy, he can be an above-average corner. We saw that in 2019 when he was tied for second in the NFL with five interceptions.
King clearly took a step back last year when he failed to haul in a single pick and his pass deflections dropped from 15 to 5. However, even for how bad people will tell you King played in 2020, it wasn’t as nearly as bad as they want you to believe.
King played and started in 11 games last season for the number seven overall pass defense. He may be an average no.2 corner in the league, but that should mean something to people who have kept tabs on Green Bay’s corners for the last six years.
King will need to make the most of next season to guarantee a hefty payday next free agency. However, the Packers might need him more than they ever have before. They currently in the process of pushing their chips to the center of the table, hoping to run it back with the same core group of guys.
King will likely be the starter opposite of Alexander in 2021. If he can return to some resemblance of his 2019 self, the decision to re-sign him will be a win-win for both sides.
Brandon Carwile is a Packers writer who also enjoys watching and breaking down film. Follow him on Twitter @PackerScribe.




Comments (36)
Ferrari-Driver
March 26, 2021 at 12:58 pm
One last chance! That's what I keep saying to my putter every time I go golfing. I don't expect that putter to perform any better in 2021 than most of us expect King to perform for us this year. Nevertheless, we can hope for a minor miracle. I do expect even King might have a little better chance than that putter.
Stroh
March 26, 2021 at 03:20 pm
The problem isn't the putter itself its the person holding it! Duh..
dobber
March 26, 2021 at 03:46 pm
My putter has trouble in zone coverage and has terrible make-up speed, too.
Ferrari-Driver
March 27, 2021 at 10:58 am
Hey dobber,
I played yesterday and that putter used three putts on four greens. When I got home it went into storage in the garage with a tag and the name "King" attached to it. Please don't make me tell you my score.
Thegreatreynoldo
March 27, 2021 at 03:19 am
When my father passed away I found 9 putters in the garage and I can remember him using each and every one of them. Long-handled putters, putters with the end at a 45-degree angle, some with thin blades, and some with very heavy blades, some with the blade recessed.
What's funny is he was at least a decent putter all of his life, and he was noticeably better at putting than I ever was.
jeremyjjbrown
March 26, 2021 at 01:05 pm
Turns out he was way cheaper then 6 mil...
KenEllis
March 26, 2021 at 01:05 pm
Great one last chance for King. Maybe it will turn out as well as Nick Perry did for the Green & Gold.
Top pick who never lived up to the selection for the first 4 seasons. Oft-injured.
Then, suddenly, in a contract year King turns it on a la Perry and bingo, Kevin gets a huge new deal like Nick did.
Just hope Gutey isn't as foolish as Ted was in signing Perry and that, if he does turn it on in 2021, King signs with some other team next year.
CoachDino
March 26, 2021 at 06:56 pm
2020 was a contract year for kenny, it didn't seem to help. The Packers can't afford to have a Top paid corner in JA and another mid to high paid corner. It will be filled with draft and develop Corners and bridge FA's. I could see them loading up on Slot and outside corners in this years draft.
Last years draft was fine in terms of quality of the player. Love has as good a chance as any 1st rd QB to be good and Dillon, JD and to a lesser extent Martin showed that they belong in the league. The problem IMO was they are all low priority positions on the value chart and its coming back to haunt them in 2021. QB,EDGE,OT,CB are the most critical WR as well depending on your offensive scheme. The Packers spent a draft pick on only one of those positions and it happens to be the one they need the least in 2021.
TarynsEyes
March 26, 2021 at 01:14 pm
And Kevin King has a song for those who support his signing for once last chance.
https://youtu.be/Jw9f0ZKYDb4
badaxed
April 11, 2021 at 03:27 pm
BAAAAAAAAAAABY! one last Kiss! Good one. Unfortunately not worth one last kiss. Offenses will continue to pick on King. No makeup speed. poor cover back. the weak link in the chain.
PatrickGB
March 26, 2021 at 01:19 pm
I am probably the only person who was glad that he is back. I think that he will improve and be an asset to this team. And no, he is not an elite CB yet he is a good one and like the article mentioned there is not much behind him.
YouAskedForThis
March 26, 2021 at 02:33 pm
And just maybe the new DC puts him in a better position to win (ex : safety help in specific down/distance).
Coldworld
March 26, 2021 at 06:19 pm
I’d hope that whoever plays opposite Alexander gets that!
CoachDino
March 26, 2021 at 07:05 pm
Glad? depends on how one looks at it.
Considering their ability to sign a better corner on their budget I'm glad his back and the teams not depending on a Rookie instead.
Though I did see a list posted of lower salary higher PFF grades listed that is very telling. (He's the worst graded with the highest salary) Though the salaries were all within a few Mil and none of the grades were good. Considering his age, familiarity, and most likely knowledge that he was playing hurt the reasoning seems credible yet still unfortunate couldn't land better for 6Mil.
Its all been said before - If he stays healthy and plays up to his potential he's a solid #2
Thegreatreynoldo
March 27, 2021 at 03:31 am
PFF grades are sometimes odd. That's why I listed some more traditional statistics like passer rating allowed. And PFR's missed tackle percentage (which must be somewhat subjective).
PFF grades above roughly 65 signify a solid level of play, close to above average which kicks in around 68 or so. Elgton Jenkins had a 67.7 PFF grade which was just into the above-average category. King's 55 grade was on the edge between average and below average.
PF4L
March 26, 2021 at 01:29 pm
Just look at that picture of King and Evans.
.
That photo tells you everything you need to know about Kevin King.
Gman1976
March 26, 2021 at 03:44 pm
I hate that pic! Ban the pic!
splitpea1
March 26, 2021 at 01:52 pm
We all hope this signing is going to be worthwhile, but the analytics (from multiple sources) don't support what you're saying regarding King's performance in the past. If he can stay free of the injury bug (and be fully healed of any previous ones), then maybe he has a chance of returning to his 2019 form.
Coldworld
March 26, 2021 at 01:59 pm
If King is healthy, he’s better than he was later last year.
To blame him for being out of position. When that’s what Pettine called seems at least questionable, but to blame him for the grab at the end in a game where receivers had been held, even taken down with no call seems worse.
The structure of the contract is my problem. If King rebounds he walks leaving dead money, if he is surpassed we have dead money long after he has gone. By being a rental, it makes no difference to the urgency of getting an early corner, perhaps two, because we clearly don’t trust Jackson or Hollman let alone the rest to spell King when he is hobbled.
Ball’s contract structure baffles me, as does the rate of pay toretain with no ability to capitalize if King plays well. All this does is provide some time for a rookie to supplant him either during the season or by this time next year and provide a little longer to develop another rookie behind that. If King surpasses expectations, he wins and we lose since we won’t have the cap to keep him to play or trade.
fastmoving
March 26, 2021 at 02:08 pm
Im glad he is back. With that kind of of money it makes a lot f sense. Gute is way more often right than wrong, what more can you ask for.
As usually he was not as bad as some here "recall", But easy "truths" are always lies. He had a lot of good games for us and its the reason why he is still here.
stockholder
March 26, 2021 at 02:56 pm
I'm glad Kings back too. Last year Gute was on record for saying he was looking for WRs and LBs. So it was a surprise he didn't take either early.( And Wrs not at all? Especially with such a deep draft.). I get holding the cards close to the chest. Even him changing his mind.!!! So--- This year King might change what he's looking for again. I just hope it's a move in the right direction. I know King was.
Stroh
March 26, 2021 at 03:28 pm
Gute was most assuredly NOT on record that he was looking WR or LB! WHERE do you get this crap?! Do you dream it and assume its reality or what?!
I wasn't at all surprised he didn't draft WR early, and there was No chance of drafting LB early.
You must be senile.
stockholder
March 26, 2021 at 09:20 pm
Pre Combine interview.
Rudedawg67
March 26, 2021 at 02:59 pm
Could’ve signed Malcolm Butler for 6 million. He is a guy with experience and has played in big games. And the last five out of six years he’s played a full 16 game schedule.
TheKanataThrilla
March 26, 2021 at 03:12 pm
The one time he should have been 10 yards off the receiver and he wasn't. Hopefully our rookie CB makes him depth.
Stroh
March 26, 2021 at 03:32 pm
I'm guessing it a situation where he brings a vet in and drafts CBs as a long term fix, but a rookie isn't forced to start. Putting a rookie opposite Jaire is asking to ruin him by getting beat like a drum and picked on! Most likely would ruin his confidence.
SwedeBayPacker
March 26, 2021 at 03:59 pm
Loud noises!
PearlyBakerBest
March 27, 2021 at 06:29 am
I love lamp
wsn
March 26, 2021 at 08:59 pm
Could king be a half season solution with an upcoming rookie cb developing and taking over late in the season?
Droski
March 26, 2021 at 10:12 pm
Why is everybody talking about 2019 King like he's the end all be all? Yeah he got 5 interceptions and 15 pass breakups but those numbers are decieving more than anything. Part of why he got those stats is because his coverage was consistently being tested by opposing QBs. He still gave up a bunch of 1st downs and a bunch of big yardage chunks because he had and still has a habit of getting burnt deep consistently, clearly evident by his 99.6 passer rating allowed. Anybody who knows passer ratings should know that that is definitely below average, so kings best year by far was still below average coverage wise not to even mention his missed tackles. Then (regardless of injuries) he followed that season up in 2020 by falling off a cliff. Point being expectations for him are very low for next season, I truly hope he can prove me wrong but I just don't see it at this point.
blacke00
March 27, 2021 at 08:17 am
I have a ton of questions regarding this signing. Not that I didn't expect it, but King will be put into exactly the same situation he was the last couple of years (QBs will test his side and he's numbers will reflect that). What do you get by resigning him? The same good and same bad? How do overcome the bad? Did the new DC see something that he thought he could change? Will King be used in a different capacity? there's just so many questions about this just doesn't add up. I guess we'll see.
Qoojo
March 28, 2021 at 12:24 pm
"If King wasn’t back, the Packers were left with a ton of question marks."
King is a question mark. It violates one of the principles of Ron Wolf, when he says, "If you know a guy isn't good enough, move on", or something along those lines. Packers kept him out of fear of getting worse at the position instead of finding/drafting proper replacement.
PF4L
March 29, 2021 at 04:48 pm
I think the Packers kept him because he was cheap, and they figured, he was good enough for now.
They figured wrong.
gpt999
March 28, 2021 at 05:07 pm
I am still in disbelief that Kevin King was offered another contract by the Packers! And at $6Mil! The burn marks from King and Sullivan are still lingering after the NFC Championship game. With Brady picking on those 2 and being so successful, don't you think the rest of the league will do the same next season? When you combine this with the dreadful indecision on extending ARODs contract, you have to wonder what's going on with Senior Packer Management? Do they actually believe Love will ready in another year and comparable to AROD? What is this management team smoking? Please let there be a logical reason we are all not seeing, lol?
PF4L
March 29, 2021 at 04:47 pm
Last chance....
The Packers are waiting for Kevin King to make that 5th year leap.
badaxed
April 11, 2021 at 03:32 pm
King sucks .........period.