PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Steelers announced officially the signing of 28-year-old corner/slot Desmond King Thursday afternoon. Texans beat writer Aaron Wilson joined the PM Team to break down his game.
Wilson, who covered the Ravens previously for several seasons, told Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller there were a couple of reasons Houston released King. At 5'10", he's a misfit for how the Texans wanted to play defense. It's not just that he's not as tall as other corners, but he's not the fastest corner out there. It also saves them around $2.5 million Wilson believes they will use for future contracts.
Wilson also believes King is not at his best playing press-man on the outside, rather better on the inside at slot.
"He can hold his own outside," Wilson explained to the PM Team on Wednesday. "He's not as fast to be able to cover a very fast wide receiver for a long period of time. He gets the job done with body-control position, really superior upper-body strength and just an understanding of spacing and where the football is."
"He's no burner. He's quicker than fast."
Wilson said King is a prototypical Iowa football player. He embodies those qualities calling him very smart and tough with commendable football character. He also said he grew up a blue-collar guy from inner-city Detroit and he's matured a lot over recent years.
"He's a very good football player," Wilson told Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller on 93.7 The Fan. "He will fit the Steelers. They will plug him in once he knows the scheme."
"I think Steeler Nation will really like this guy. For a DB, he loves to hit, stick his nose in there. He's a strong guy, just not tall."
Wilson calls him a good athlete, just not a track star that so many coaches are looking for in today's game. He says what King lacks in speed, he makes up for with intangibles.
Now with a new home, Desmond King becomes the seventh different new key member for the defense.
