Houston Texans got it wrong cutting Desmond King

A former impact contributor in the Houston Texans secondary was sent packing earlier today, with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reporting that the team and slot corner Desmond King have parted ways. 

King finished the 2022 season with a solid 73.2 grade according to PFF. The veteran defensive back compiled 89 total tackles, two interceptions, and eight defended passes in 17 contests. 

Though Houston is a team that holds an abundance of strength and depth in the secondary, the release of King still came as a surprise to many. The veteran was frequently seen with the first-team defense during training camp and started every preseason game for the Texans. 

Out of those 17 contests that King appeared in last season, 13 of them were games that he started according to Pro Football Reference. Many expected the starting spot in the slot to be King’s to lose. Did the Houston Texans make the wrong decision? 

On one hand, the recent addition of Cameron Dantzler and the off-season signing of Shaq Griffin provided the Texans with more overall depth for the cornerback room. Griffin has experience playing in the slot and possesses the versatility to bounce outside if the situation calls for it. 

On the contrary, King’s prior production did not warrant his spot on the chopping block and came completely out of left field. Additionally, for a rebuilding team like the Houston Texans, hanging onto every valuable depth piece is a necessity to lay down the foundation. 

To be clear, I do not believe that this move is one that will cripple the secondary. The unit possesses a quality assortment of young and veteran talent which will bode well for the upcoming campaign. However, for any team in the NFL, cutting impact contributors can come back to bite, which is why I think the Texans got it wrong by cutting one of their valuable defensive players from the 2022 season. 

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