Steelers plan to trade or release veteran CB

The Steelers had some surprise roster movement Tuesday night when they announced they were planning to move on from a promising veteran.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Pittsburgh has informed CB Desmond King, who joined the team in August, that it plans to release him if it can't find a trade partner by the Oct. 31 trade deadline.

King has only played one defensive snap for the Steelers, but many hoped he could help their struggling secondary.

Veteran cornerbacks Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace have continually been picked on in 2023, allowing 41 catches on 70 targets.

Some believed King, who has 426 tackles, 8.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, nine interceptions and 33 passes defensed in his seven-year career, would at least have a chance to prove he can play better than Peterson and Wallace. However, he was never given the opportunity.

With a roster spot opened up, Pittsburgh is signing rookie CB Darius Rush, a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, off the Chiefs practice squad.

Rush, who was drafted by the Colts, was waived by Indianapolis in August, and picked up by Kansas City shortly after.

The 23-year-old joins the Steelers' new-look cornerback room that is clearly looking for size and length. The rookie cornerback stands at 6-foot-2, 198 pounds.

The South Carolina product, who had 38 tackles, two interceptions and seven passes defensed in his final collegiate season, doesn't lack speed either, running a 4.36 second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. 

The move makes sense, as Pittsburgh hosted Rush during the draft process. As for King, the Steelers will hope to get just about anything in return or cut their losses just five games into the season.