Desmond King did not make the Texans’ 53-man roster, but the veteran cornerback will have another opportunity soon. The Steelers are expected to add King, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The sides have agreed on a one-year deal, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
The Steelers will be a fourth team for King. The former Chargers UDFA and All-Pro has spent his career in Los Angeles, Tennessee and Houston. King has spent much of his career in the slot. The Steelers added veteran slot defender Chandon Sullivan this offseason, but it looks like they will bring in more help.
This would require a roster move, as the Steelers set their 53-man squad Tuesday. But teams will be making a host of veteran additions today, as players are moved to IR. In order for players to be eligible for in-season activations from IR, teams must carry them through to their 53-man roster and then shift them to the injured list.
While teams often use post-cutdown-day IR moves to re-sign vested veterans they recently cut, veterans released by other clubs factor into equations as well. King, 28, is a six-year vet who started 25 games for the Texans from 2021-22. Pro Football Focus viewed King’s 2022 season fondly, slotting him 20th overall among corners. King’s value as a tackler helped produce that placement; the Detroit native finished with a career-high (by a substantial margin) 10 tackles for loss last year.
The Steelers obviously go into the season with bigger goals compared to the Texans, who have produced four-, four- and three-win seasons in the 2020s. But Houston is transitioning to a new defensive scheme under DeMeco Ryans. The rebuilding AFC South team is planning to use the recently re-signed Tavierre Thomas in the slot, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets, with Grayland Arnold in that mix as well.
King, who was attached to a two-year deal worth $7MM in Houston, played more than 900 defensive snaps in each of the past two seasons. The ex-Charger UDFA has also contributed regularly as a punt returner. He earned first-team All-Pro honors as both a slot corner and punt returner in 2018. Although King has not operated in a return capacity in each of his NFL seasons, he has done so frequently — including over the past two years with the Texans. King returned punts for touchdowns in 2018 and ’19.
King was a pretty good defender for the Chargers and was a surprise release at the time.
Wow, another solid move from Omar Khan. Seriously, this off-season has been like Christmas every week, Uncle Omar goes out and gets the team exactly who it needs.
Von Miller hasn’t even hosted his Halloween party yet and you’re talking about Christmas. No wonder I have trouble keeping track of what day it is.
P.S. The doctor gave me pills to improve my memory but I keep forgetting to take them.
OK now we can cut Pierre
Khan’s work is in stark contrast to his predecessor. He’s loaded this roster via free agent signings and the draft, in particular looking to strengthen areas that were lacking
Tip of the hat to him
Now all they have to do is perform and stay healthy
Great signing
Omar has had better FA signings as he has not been saddled with Ben’s massive cap hit like Colbert was the last 10 years. Colbert had a lot of quality FA signings he first have of his tenure before Ben’s contract started handcuffing him.
I dunno. It’s all relative, isn’t it? Ben’s off the books but Watt and Johnson have big contracts. Just think that Omar has specifically addressed problem areas and depth where Colbert was more prone to go with “best player available”
I’m not disparaging Colbert mind you, as he was very successful and the track record speaks for itself I just think Khan—and Weidl—formed a plan and have carried it out very well. On paper, anyway
Colbert made several great signings his first 10 years, Farrior, Randle El and a host of others. The last few years not so much The difference in Ben and Wall/Johnson/Highsmith, is that they are still orignal money and not yet started reworking and pushing the cap hit down the road. That is what killed with Ben. Not the $$ amount but past years cap hits getting pushed and finally no where to push them anymore. Granted, there could have been better players that Colbert could have maybe signed for the same money but picked the wrong guys 🙂
Not an UDFA ♂️
If Pierre is indeed the roster casualty, another shoe yet to drop as they still have 2 punters rostered. Mann will have to be moved soon as well.
I’m getting the feeling that Harvin, whom I’m guessing is the preferred guy, is hurt and might miss a week or two. I can’t see them going with a 1 for distance 1 for pinning inside the 20 approach.
Update—they’ve cut Mann (per Steelers Depot) and that spot likely goes to King
Thanks for the Update. Surprised that it was not Pierre. Maybe the want to work King out with the team to make sure he fits for a couple of days before moving Pierre. I think Pierre will be moved in favor of another player at a different position.