Steelers sign CB Darius Rush from Chiefs practice squad, release Desmond King

The Pittsburgh Steelers made multiple moves Wednesday, signing rookie cornerback Darius Rush off the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad and releasing veteran cornerback Desmond King from the 53-man roster.

The Indianapolis Colts originally selected Rush in the fifth-round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of South Carolina. He signed to the Chiefs’ practice squad after the Colts waived him ahead of the start of the season.

Before entering the NFL, Rush suited up in 43 games (21 starts) for the Gamecocks. He tallied 74 tackles (60 solo), 15 passes defensed, four tackles for loss, three interceptions, one sack and one forced fumble.

King, 28, appeared in three games for the Steelers this season, failing to get on the stat sheet. Drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers in the fifth-round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Iowa, King was a first-team All-Pro in 2018.  n the middle of his fourth season with the Chargers, the team traded King to the Tennessee Titans in November of 2020 for a sixth-round pick. He would sign with the Houston Texans after the season.

In his career, King has 426 total tackles, 320 solo tackles, 8.5 sacks, nine interceptions, 33 pass deflections, three forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and three defensive touchdowns.

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Rush, meanwhile, joins a group led by veterans Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace, as well as 2023 second-round pick Joey Porter Jr. The former Penn State standout played a career-high 28 snaps in the 17-10 Week 5 win over the Baltimore Ravens, as Peterson and Wallace continued their slow starts to the season.

Head coach Mike Tomlin isn’t quite ready to anoint Porter the starter just yet.

“Several variables are at play,” Tomlin said, via TribLIVE. “What it is they do and the quality with which they do it, and it’s also the opportunity. Such is always the case in team play. Things and decisions don’t happen in a vacuum. You can be pleased with the progress of a player in the terms of the direction he’s been moving, but the opportunity has to be there.

“We challenge these guys not to be patient. This is not a patient person’s business. It doesn’t behoove them to be patient. We ask them to work while they wait for their opportunity and put their readiness on display. Jones and Porter have done a really good job of that. We’ll wait for continued opportunities for them and check their progress as we move forward.”