A Recently Cut CB Could Help the 2023 Vikings in a Huge Way
As teams across the NFL continue trimming their rosters down to 53 players, there are a few surprising names hitting free agency.
One such surprise is Desmond King, a recently cut CB who has spent the past two seasons with the Houston Texans. On Monday morning, Houston opted to let him go.
Recently Cut CB Desmond King Should Be on the Vikings’ Radar
King is a name that should be on the Vikings’ radar for a couple of different reasons. The 2017 fifth-round pick has been a stalward presence in NFL secondaries throughout his career, but he can also be a producer on special teams.
Last season, King returned 33 punts for 309 yards, an average of 9.4 yards per return. He also had one kick return opportunity, and he nearly broke off a touchdown before being wrapped up 50 yards into his return.
Throughout his career, King has returned 101 punts for 918 yards, an average of 9.1 yards per return. He also has two punt return TDs to his name. Since entering the league in 2017, he is one of four players (per Stathead) to record at least 100 punt returns and average 9 yards per return. The other three are Jamal Agnew, Ray-Ray McCloud, and DeAndre Carter.
King also has 57 kick returns to his name. While he hasn’t been as effective in this area, he is averaging 22.5 yards per kick return to this point in his career.
Heading into the 2023 season, the Vikings have some uncertainty for both return spots. Kene Nwangwu hasn’t practiced in weeks. He is one of the best kick returners in the league when healthy (3 return TDs in his first two seasons), but it is unknown if he will be able to suit up for Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Meanwhile, Brandon Powell seems to be the leader in the punt return battle, but this is an area that was truly horrendous for the Vikings in 2022. As a team, Minnesota averaged just 6.4 yards per punt return last season, tied for fifth-worst in the NFL. Based on King’s past production, there is reason to believe that he would be able to bolster that number in a big way.
We haven’t even discussed King’s potential impact on the defense yet, either. The cornerback largely played in the slot during the early portions of his career. However, in Houston, he became a reliably versatile player, splitting time between the slot and the boundary. King played 505 snaps on the boundary compared to 334 in the slot during 2022, per Pro Football Focus.
With a duo of King and Byron Murphy in the secondary, Minnesota would have the luxury of two veteran starters who are capable of playing either position as well as the do-it-all defensive back Jay Ward, whom the team selected in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Not only is King capable of such a versatile role, but he was very effective for the Texans last season. Among CBs to play at least 50% of their teams’ defensive snaps last season, King’s overall defensive PFF grade of 73.2 ranked 17th at the position.
Minnesota’s youth and inexperience in the secondary are well-documented on this site. The addition of King would give Minnesota another bonafide veteran at the cornerback position while also potentially boosting the production of their return units.
The veteran CB is likely an intriguing piece for many teams, but he would help the Vikings in a big way this season.
2023 Vikings Roster Cuts Tracker
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.