Report: Steelers target Chiefs DB Darius Rush, set to move on from Desmond King
The Steelers plan to sign cornerback Darius Rush, who has spent the past few weeks on the Chiefs practice squad.
And in another roster move, Pittsburgh has told Desmond King that the team either will trade or waive him. This is all according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network.
Rush is a rookie. He got to the league via the Colts. Indy selected him out of South Carolina with a fifth-round draft pick. The corner turned heads with his speed at the NFL Combine in early March. That’s when he ran a 4.36-second time in the 400-yard dash. The Steelers had him in for a pre-draft visit in early April, so they know Rush.
The Colts placed Rush on waivers during the NFL mandated cut to 53. Then the Chiefs added him to their practice squad a day later.
King also was new to the Steelers this season. The Chargers selected King, a former Iowa standout and winner of the Jim Thorpe Award, in 2017. He had his best NFL season in 2018, when he earned All Pro honors as both a DB and returnman. The Chargers traded him to the Titans in 2020. And then a season later, he signed with the Texans, where he was a two-year starter.
Houston waived King at the end of August, allowing the Steelers to sign him. He’s appeared in three games, but hasn’t registered a tackle.
The Steelers enjoyed a bye this past weekend. Next up is the Rams. Pittsburgh likely will make more roster moves later in the week when the Steelers activate receiver Diontae Johnson. He’s been out since straining his hamstring in the season opener. Johnson returned to practice, Monday. So did running back Anthony McFarland. With the two practicing, it automatically started a 21-day window for Pittsburgh to put them on the active roster.
“They’ll be working in a variety of capacities,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told reporters. “We’ll let the quality of participation and the amount, coupled with conditioning, be our guide for activation this week.”