Steelers announce Desmond King signing, add another slot/nickel CB option to practice squad

Jul 19, 2023

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The Pittsburgh Steelers announced the signing of veteran cornerback Desmond King – and they added a third option with NFL experience over the past three days to the slot/nickel position.

The addition of King, a 2018 All Pro who also has been a quality punt returner, was reported Wednesday. King started 13 of 17 games played for the Houston Texans last season and has appeared in 95 games over six NFL seasons. He has extensive experience playing outside cornerback but as played more often as a pro in the nickel/slot, an area the Steelers could use reinforcements.

Desmond King (@blaqbadger14) showed off his lightning speed with a 73-yard punt return against the Steelers! ????‍⚡️@insidetheNFL | #ShotOfTheWeek@Chargers | #FightForEachOther pic.twitter.com/og4ChJQJEa

— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) December 3, 2018

For the second consecutive day, the Steelers added another veteran nickel DB to their practice squad. Wednesday it was former Dallas Cowboys starter Anthony Brown, who spent the offseason recovering from a torn Achilles. Thursday, the Steelers added Josiah Scott, two days after he was released by the Philadelphia Eagles.

One of four players announced to be added to the Steelers practice squad Thursday, Scott appeared in 17 games (including playoffs) and started four for the NFL champion Eagles last season. He had two interceptions, eight passes defended and 49 tackles (37 solo, two for loss) while playing 37% of Philadelphia’s defensive snaps in 2022.

Also an accomplished special teams player, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound Scott joined the Eagles via a 2021 trade — 13 months after he was a fourth-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars out of Michigan State.

In addition to the slot/nickel, Scott has taken NFL snaps at outside cornerback and free safety.

Among others the signed to the practice squad Thursday was receiver Simi Fehoko, who joins his cousin — defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko — on the Steelers practice squad. The 6-3, 220-pound Fehoko appeared in five games during each of the past two seasons for the Dallas Cowboys, for whom he was a fifth-round pick. Fehoko has three career catches and mostly has played special teams.

Offensive tackle Kellen Diesch and guard Joey Fisher were the other practice-squad signings, leaving three open spots yet to be filled.

Diesch is big (6-7, 200) and was one of the more athletic tackles available during the draft last season — but he was raw, did not get drafted, was released by the Miami Dolphins and spent the past 12 months as part of the Chicago Bears’ practice squad and/or offseason roster.

Fisher (6-4, 292) was a Division II All-America tackle at Shepherd who went undrafted this spring despite projections he could be a middle-round pick.

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Chris Adamski is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Chris by email at [email protected] or via Twitter .

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