Newest Steeler Desmond King eager to contribute to secondary

A highlight of Desmond King’s football career came at none other than what is now called Acrisure Stadium.

So you could forgive King, a veteran defensive back, for getting a little nostalgic less than a week into his tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“A lot of people (are having) a flash back to 2018 in Pittsburgh,” King said Monday, referencing his 73-yard punt return for a touchdown while playing for the Los Angeles Chargers during a come-from-behind win against the Steelers. “So, hopefully, I can bring that to the city as well.”

Former Hawkeye Desmond King with the 73 yard punt return for a TD against the Steelers. pic.twitter.com/KDCNtkFEVv

— Mr. SOUNDOFF (@johnsears) December 3, 2018

King began his seventh NFL season in earnest Monday in what is generally considered the first practice of the Steelers regular season. It was also the first practice with the Steelers for King, the 5-foot-10, 200-pound cornerback who was cut by the Houston Texans last week.

King is expected to help shore up a Steelers cornerbacks corps that isn’t considered all that deep, be it as a supplement to the slot/nickel group or as an outside corner.

“I feel like I will be a utilized guy,” said King, who has 95 games (53 starts) of NFL experience. “They see me outside, they see me inside and can see me at safety. So I’m just trying to kind of work my way, get a groove, get to some type of rhythm into the program right now. So until then … just wherever I fit.”

Last season, according to Pro Football Focus, King played 505 snaps at wide corner and 334 in the slot. He was more of a wide corner in 2021 for Houston, too. But over the first four seasons of his career — most of that spent with the Chargers, the team that drafted him — King specialized in the slot.

The Steelers have Elijah Riley and Chandon Sullivan as nickel options with Patrick Peterson, Levi Wallace and Joey Porter Jr. on the outside. Peterson, though, is a candidate to move inside.

It will be interesting, too, to see if King is given a chance to return punts, something he has done with regularity throughout his NFL career. The Steelers intend to give Calvin Austin III the first shot at those duties but also have veteran Gunner Olszewski.

King was asked why he believes the Steelers signed him.

“They said, ‘He’s the type of player that need to be in this organization: plays fast, can tackle well, is physical. As long as you want to win, this is where you need to be.’

“Just have to keep the depth for our secondary — guys that can be in multiple positions — I think that’s gonna help our team no matter what.”

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