LA Chargers: Grading the new 2020 secondary group
Desmond King
The signing of Harris leaves King without a very well defined position. King played the slot for three years with high marks in her first two. In his third year, there was definitely some regression that needed to be addressed. Receivers working against King averaged about four more yards per reception than they did in 2018. Quarterbacks also threw for a passer rating that jumped almost 50 points from year to year.
Whether King bounces back in his fourth year depends on a lot of fluid circumstances, most notably what position he’ll actually play. The most likely option is that he’ll move to dimebacker. That was pretty much what Adrian Phillips’ role in the offense was in his seasons with the Chargers. With King’s versatility, the position makes a lot of sense.
King would substitute in for linebackers and safeties in a lot of packages. This role can be referred to as effectively a wildcard. He’ll do a little bit of everything, from coverage, to pass rush, to even a little bit of linebacker. The technicality of which exact position King ends up playing doesn’t really matter that much. A realistic scenario is that he’s not really going to be a cornerback or safety, but rather something in between.
It wouldn’t surprise me if this was the last year for King in Los Angeles. He’s in the final year of his rookie deal and will likely be looking for a more significant role as well as a better deal. It’ll be interesting if King really sets himself apart as a necessity for the LA Chargers moreso than a luxury.