Former second-round pick looks to resurrect career with Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are doing some (very) deep digging for depth.

Atlanta announced on Monday that they are signing cornerback Kevin King. The move marks a surprise return to the NFL for King, who has not played since the 2021 season.

King, still just 28, was a second-round draft pick by the Green Bay Packers in 2017 (No. 33 overall). He played five seasons in Green Bay and submitted his best year in 2019, recording five interceptions (tops on the team) and 15 passes defended (second on the team). King was also a starter for multiple Packers’ playoff runs and proved to be a thorn in the side of many rivals.

But King had become a forgotten man as he sat out the 2022 NFL season due to personal reasons and then had to miss the 2023 season as well after tearing his Achilles tendon while trying to gear up for NFL training camp.

When it comes to the Falcons though, King is well-known to new defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake, who was used to be his secondary coach in college at the University of Washington. Depending on how healthy he is, King may be a worthwhile dart-throw for depth behind expected starters AJ Terrell, a former All-Pro, and Clark Phillips III, the 23-year-old who had a nice rookie year last season.