The Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t done making moves. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the team is set to sign DB Desmond King.
Yesterday, our Joe Clark named King as one of the six outside names to watch being added to the roster, writing:
“King is more of a veteran option and someone who could look to slot in as Pittsburgh’s nickel corner. He’s played with the Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans during his six-year NFL career, getting waived by Houston during final roster cuts. He has nine career interceptions and was a first-team All-Pro back in 2018. It’s a different scheme with different coaches and coordinators now, but King liked his fit with Pittsburgh before the 2017 draft, and the team had a meeting with him at the 2017 NFL Combine.
Last year, he graded out well, with a 73.2 PFF grade. The Steelers kept both Elijah Riley and Chandon Sullivan on the 53-man roster, presumably to continue competing for the slot corner job, with Riley also providing depth at safety. But King would enter as a veteran with more experience than either of those two guys and a history of success. Given that there was pre-draft interest and King fills a need, he’s a name to watch.”
Per NFL insider and Texans’ beat writer Aaron Wilson, it’s a one-year deal for King.
King, 28, has appeared in 95 career games. Last season, he started 13 of them, picking off a pair of passes. He was also active around the ball, finishing the year with 89 combined tackles. He was released by the Houston Texans yesterday. A vested veteran, he was not subject to waivers.
A fifth-round pick of the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017, he’s also spent time with the Tennessee Titans. With inside-outside versatility, he’ll add quality corner depth to the roster. As Clark mentioned, the team had pre-draft interest in King when he came out of Iowa.
Pittsburgh would have to make a corresponding move to put him on its 53-man roster. Currently, they have six cornerbacks with James Pierre, Chandon Sullivan, and Elijah Riley the backups. They also still have two punters in Pressley Harvin III and Braden Mann. It’s obvious they’re trying to trade one of them. We’ll update you when the team makes its corresponding moves. Expect another busy day.
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