One of Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst's biggest draft misses in recent memory was the selection of cornerback Kevin King with pick No. 33 in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
While he was a star at Washington, injuries quickly derailed King's tenure in Green Bay. He played in more than 11 games just once in five years with the Packers before finding himself out of the league by 2022. He suffered an Achilles tear in 2023, but then caught on with an NFC rival in the Atlanta Falcons in 2024.
That opportunity felt like his last chance to stick in the NFL but now, at 29 years old, King has seemingly found a potential home.
Former Packers CB Kevin King Saves NFL Career With Another One-Year Falcons Contract
King signed a one-year deal with the Falcons on Saturday. He played only 7% of defensive snaps but contributed significantly on special teams and ranked seventh out of 222 qualified cornerbacks at Pro Football Focus, indicating he was deserving of a greater opportunity.
However, King surrendered an 81.8% completion percentage and 108.3 passer rating when targeted in coverage, some familiar numbers for those who watched him in Green Bay. He did enough to salvage his NFL comeback but at the same time, this isn't an elite player we're talking about.
6 seconds left in the half…
— TitletownTalks (@TitleTownTalks) April 7, 2025
and that brother was absolutely lost like somebody unplugged his controller.
I can’t believe Kevin King started a playoff game for my team 😭 pic.twitter.com/vZl1GJdckn
Only once did King give up a passer rating below 96 with the Packers. He'll be 30 in May, typically a point in which cornerbacks physically decline. Given the limited games under his belt though, it's possible that King still has a fair amount of juice left in the tank to positively contribute for the Falcons.
It'd be hard to see a conference rival turn a draft bust into a starter and while that's unlikely, Green Bay's own problems in the secondary suggest the cornerback position is suddenly a weak spot for the front office. They'll have an opportunity to turn things around in the draft, yet King represents a cautionary tale about whomever Gutekunst may acquire.
Either way, there's no reason to hold a grudge against King and here's hoping that he can prove the Falcons' faith justifiable as he continues trying to stick in the league.