Former Iowa star Desmond King being shopped at NFL trade deadline
By Joe Kipp
Former Iowa Hawkeyes All-American Desmond King could be on the move at the 2020 NFL trade deadline.
The Los Angeles Chargers are reportedly taking calls on former Iowa Hawkeyes cornerback Desmond King. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, “multiple” teams are interested in acquiring King before the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
King, who was named an All-American twice during his time at Iowa, was selected in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by Los Angeles.
Since entering the NFL, King has been one of the league’s most versatile cornerbacks. He was named a first-team All-Pro in 2018 as a defensive back and made the second-team as a punt returner. Across 53 NFL games, King has recorded 213 tackles (14 for losses), 7.5 sacks, four interceptions and 17 pass-breakups. He’s never been a full-time starter.
During his time in Iowa City, King piled up a long list of accolades, including the Jim Thorpe award, Jack Tatum award and Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year. He finished his career at Iowa with 14 interceptions and 33 pass-breakups and was an integral part to the Hawkeyes’ magical 12-0 season in 2015.
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King was held out of Sunday’s loss against the Denver Broncos as a healthy scratch, presumably to avoid injury in the event Los Angeles was able to find a trade suitor at the deadline. King expressed his displeasure with his playing time back on Sep. 20, posting on Twitter, “Is there a reason I’m not on the field? Some people want to know.”
The Chargers, currently 2-5 after seven games, appear to be selling high on King before he becomes an unrestricted free agent after the 2020 season. Some possible teams that might be a good fit for King’s services include the Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals, among others. We’ll see if he’s on a new team by Tuesday.