The Green Bay Packers have several storylines heading into training camp, but the biggest is what will happen at the cornerback position. Jaire Alexander’s release sparked a ton of debate on who will be in the Packers’ starting lineup when they open the season against the Detroit Lions on Sept. 7 and creates one of the most intriguing battles on the depth chart.
The Packers have been creative with their solutions so far. But with 11 cornerbacks on the roster coming into camp, somebody has to go. It turns the spotlight on one intriguing Packer that was assumed to be a steal in the 2024 draft, but it could lead to another release by the end of training camp.
Packers CB Kalen King on Chopping Block Ahead of Training Camp
Kalen King was a seventh-round pick in the 2024 draft, but if you went back to his junior year at Penn State, you would assume he should have been drafted much earlier. King had 30 total and led the Big Ten with 18 pass deflections during his sophomore season in 2022, leading to speculation he could be a first-round pick. 2023 didn’t treat King well, however, as he failed to record an interception and fell down draft boards.
Few bonds are stronger than fans and their team acquiring a potential steal of the draft, and King’s became ionic after he recorded a pick-six of Jordan Love during last year’s training camp. The highlight couldn’t help King make the roster, however, and he spent most of his rookie season on Green Bay’s practice squad. Things began to trend up when he was signed to a future contract for the 2025 season, and Packers defensive passing game coordinator Derrick Ansley revealed he was optimistic about his role heading into his second season.
“I don’t want to speak too soon, knock on wood, but he’s looking really, really good out there,” Ansley said via the Packers’ official website. “He’s playing inside and out. Kinda like the light has gone off for him, and he looks more springy in his step.”
Unfortunately, the hype came to a screeching halt when King didn’t participate during minicamp. While he was spotted with a cast on his right forearm by ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, his absence gave a leg up to this year’s seventh-round pick, Micah Robinson, to get more playing time.
King has a month to heal up, but it might be too late to earn a spot on the roster. Keisean Nixon and free-agent acquisition Nate Hobbs are slated to start on the outside, and Javon Bullard is expected to serve in the nickel role. Carrington Valentine and Robinson figure to be the frontrunners for the final two roster spots, and it could leave King going back to the practice squad or searching for a new team after training camp.