A Year Later, The Vikings Can Re-Sign the Draft Pick Who Got Away
The Vikings can now re-sign linebacker Kobe King, who was chosen by Minnesota in the 6th Round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He got axed during the regular season, presumably with some desire for a spot on the practice squad. The New York Jets had other plans, scooping him up.
Check out the update courtesy of Josh Alper on Pro Football Talk, who writes, “[Brian] Costello also reports that the Jets will waive linebacker Kobe King. That move will come with an injury designation.” The New York Jets’ official social media has confirmed the move.
The Vikings Can Now Re-Sign Kobe King
Unfortunately, Mr. King is working through injury, contributing to getting waived. He may need to get back to complete health before getting onto another NFL roster.
Not the world’s foremost athlete, King is a physical defender who is a meat and potatoes player. Think someone who is more rugged than finesse, akin to a third-paid defenseman rather than a high-flying first-pair defenseman who can control the ice in a manner similar to Quinn Hughes.
As a rookie, Kobe King got involved in fourteen games. There were five in Minnesota before nine in New York. Added together, the stat sheets shows 10 tackles.
King had just 3 snaps on defense alongside 219 snaps on special teams, offering a hint toward his path forward in his NFL career. Start off by walloping returners on special teams while improving to such a degree that snaps open up on defense. Therein lies the path forward for the soon-to-be sophomore linebacker.
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King played for Penn State in college. His final season involved sturdy statistics, featuring 97 tackles with 8.5 tackles for loss. So, too, did King offer his team 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 pass defended. In short, King is somebody to chase down runners and body slam quarterbacks, not carry all-world pass catchers down the field. Think Ben Gedeon (solid) rather than Eric Kendricks (spectacular).
Quite possibly, Minnesota will look bring him back. The GM is different, but most of the defensive coaching staff remains.
Of course, making a move (should that occur) should be understood with some restraint. King got drafted before then getting cut. The Vikings operate within the NFL, a land where actions always communicate the most; the actions point toward both positives and negative assessments of King.
Sitting atop the current pile of linebackers are Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson, the veteran twosome whom most regard as the favorites to start in Week 1.
Pushing against that too-easy understanding is the presence of Jake Golday and Ivan Pace Jr., both of whom are young and promising. Likewise, some others are in town to shore up the depth, further complicating the logjam if Kobe King does desire a return to the Twin Cities.
At 23, King has a lot of football left ahead of him as long as his body cooperates. He boasts a sturdy build at 6’1″ and 250 pounds. His brother, Kalen, got drafted by the Packers and is now working as a Cardinal.
