NFL teams
Rob Demovsky, ESPN Staff Writer 6y

Packers rookie CB Kevin King done for season

NFL, Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Last month, Kevin King sounded like someone who knew he would need shoulder surgery after the season.

It turns out, he might not have been able to wait that long.

The Green Bay Packers' top draft pick was placed on injured reserve Wednesday and is done for the season. He missed two of the past three games because of a recurring shoulder problem that dates to his college days at Washington.

King, the 33rd overall pick in the draft, has played with a brace on his left shoulder all season.

His rookie season ends without an interception and just five passes defensed in nine games. He missed one game earlier this season because of a concussion.

"I think it was pretty obvious ... when he wasn't using two hands," Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers said earlier this season of King's shoulder injury. "He's a tough guy and he's done a good job working his way through it, but you can see that it's bothering him at times."

The Packers replaced King on the roster with cornerback Demetri Goodson, who was activated off PUP more than a year after he blew out his left knee last season.

Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix praised King for toughing it out when, at times this season, King couldn't lift his left arm over his head.

"Sometimes, I would see it happen during a play," Clinton-Dix said. "He'd just shake it off. I'd ask, 'Are you all right? Are you all right? And he'd just stay in the game. I remember hurting my shoulder my rookie year, and that's not something you play with. Especially when you're a hands-on corner, you can't get your hands up, you can't do shit. At some point in time, he had to just give up. Once we see you can't really do anything and it's limiting you a lot, I think it was the best decision for him."

King isn't the only injury concern at cornerback this week. Davon House did not practice on Wednesday because of a shoulder injury of his own that he said occurred Sunday against the Buccaneers. And Goodson, on the day he was activated off PUP, did not practice because of a hamstring injury.

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