The Pittsburgh Steelers completed what many see as the ideal offseason from a personnel standpoint at the end of the preseason, signing DB Desmond King II after he was released by the Houston Texans. King was the proven veteran presence Pittsburgh needed to add at nickel corner to solidify its secondary, adding an experienced defender with inside/outside versatility to its secondary.
Still, King was officially signed on Aug. 30, giving him just over a week to prepare and get the playbook down in-time for Pittsburgh’s Week One contest against the San Francisco 49ers. DC Teryl Austin was asked if King has been able to “hop on the moving train”, as Mike Tomlin would say, getting up to speed fast enough to play in Pittsburgh’s home opener against San Francisco. Austin wouldn’t commit to King playing a lot this week but mentioned that he’s doing everything he can to contribute this weekend.
“He’s getting himself ready” Austin told the media Thursday, per official team transcript. “If he’s going to be ready this week, I can’t say for sure. But he has jumped on a moving train. You can see he’s a good pro. He understands NFL ball. He’s played a lot of football. He’s getting himself up to speed as fast as he can.”
Josh Carney of Steelers Depot detailed what Pittsburgh was getting in King shortly after he signed in a film room breakdown of the defensive back, commending his motor and ability to play all facets of the game against the run as well as in coverage. Still, picking up all the coverage looks, schemes, and checks can be difficult for even a veteran like King, who has been in the league for awhile, let alone get it all down in less than ten days’ time.
It may be a tad optimistic to expect King to play all the snaps at nickel corner right away as he tries to get a firm grasp of everything the Steelers are asking him to do in their system. It would make more sense to ease King in, allowing him to play in packages where he is comfortable and continue to use DBs Chandon Sullivan and Elijah Riley, who battled for Pittsburgh’s starting nickel job during training camp.
The Steelers are carrying seven cornerbacks on their active roster, suggesting that a cut may be coming once King is fully up to speed. Riley can play both as a safety and nickel corner, which may deflate that case for having to part with a cornerback, but once King is fully up to speed and ready to rock as the team’s starting nickel, it will be interesting to see if Pittsburgh looks to make a move in its secondary.
