Desmond King II enters his fifth NFL season looking to be a key piece of the Texans defense.
After spending 2017 through the early part of last season with the Chargers, the 2018 All-Pro was traded to Tennessee November 2, 2020. He played in nine games for the Titans, starting five times for the 11-5 AFC South champs. Cornerbacks coach Dino Vasso explained how the Texans plan to deploy King.
"Desmond has played inside," Vasso said. "He's going to play a little bit inside for us as well, then he's played on the back end as well. Versatile player that we're going to use appropriately."
In 62 career games, King's picked off four passes and returned two for scores. Six days after arriving in Nashville, he scooped up a fumble and returned it 63 yards for a touchdown against Chicago. In the return game, King's taken a pair of punts back for scores as well.
"Again, he's a guy that's put himself around the football a lot in his career," Vasso said. "I think he has to take advantage of the opportunities when they present themselves. He's been around the football the past two years."
With training camp set to begin at the end of July, Vasso explained how he and the Texans will continue to foster the ability to be around the football in the season ahead.
"Just putting him in those situations and creating those competitive environments within practice," Vasso said. "Obviously that's something that we hang our hat on, is creating a competitive culture within practice every day. Obviously he's someone who's taken advantage of those plays early in his career and he did it a little bit last year as well. Something that he can do and we're confident he's going to do in the future."
King's logged at least 50 tackles in each of his four previous NFL seasons, with 16 of those coming for a loss. He's also tallied 14 quarterback hits and 8.5 sacks.
