The Chargers Traded Former All-Pro DB Desmond King To The Titans For Scraps. Why?
Desmond King was an All-Pro 1st team defensive back in the 2018 campaign. He only allowed 59 receptions and 2 touchdowns while picking off 3 passes and defending 6. He also returned one INT for 6 and was incredible as a return man, averaging 13.8 Y/R on punts and scoring a punt return touchdown. So what happened in one year+ that made that change?
The most likely reason is that the staff was down about his Stats. Last season, his quality of play declined on both defense and the return game. He allowed a 133.4 rating, didn't have a single pick, allowed 4 more Yards per reception, 8 less Y/R punts and 3 less y/rt kick. No corner targeted more than 20 times allowed a worse reception percentage. He also got suspended for a still undisclosed reason in week 14 last year.
His snap % went down a lot with Nasir Adderley and Rayshawn Jenkins coming into their own. That lead to this:
He fell out of favor in a bad way, so it was definitely best for both sides. The question that we will get the answer too is how much of his decline had to do with Gus Bradley and how much had to do with him. I go back and forth from thinking he is a brain genius in one moment to the world's dumbest human the next, with the balance usually favoring the latter. It's very possible that the Titans turn him around and get him back into form, leaving the Chargers YET AGAIN looking for a functional DB that can go more than 3 games without shredding his knees. Lets look at the Bolts last few 6th round picks:
2020: S Alohi Gilman - He's a special teams guy for now so we'll see
2019 LB Emeke Egbule - He's played 9 games over 2 seasons and has 8 tackles.
2018 WR Dylan Cantrell - Not on the team anymore and currently a FA
2017 OL Sam Tevi - He has never, EVER been a workable run blocker and was generally bad before getting achieving mediocre status at pass pro this year
2016 - FB Derek Watt - Not on the team anymore and was never good at clearing space for Melvin Gordon. Very good special teamer tho.
2015 - DE Darius Philon - Not on the team anymore, was decent in a pinch, got arrested for pointing a gun at a woman and her friend and asking them "which one of you wants a bullet"
2014 - RB Marion Grice - Not on the team anymore and never recorded a snap for the team.
So considering this wonderful history, it looks like the Bolts got great value back at least!