More is always better, right? That’s not necessarily the case for a pair of Chargers players when dissecting a loaded defensive backs corps.
Los Angeles signed five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Chris Harris Jr. early on in free agency. The decision to sign Harris was a great, yet slightly confusing move.
Harris is arguably one of the league’s top slot corners and while he offers inside-out versatility, the team told him that he would be playing in the slot this upcoming season rather than the outside, which is a position that doesn’t seem completely solidified.
What does this also mean? This indicates that King’s natural spot is being taken away from him. After hearing that Harris will start in the slot, it is assumed that King would take over as Adrian Phillips’ role as the team’s pseudo safety/dime linebacker.
From coach Anthony Lynn’s comments on Wednesday, it’s not very telling where King will play in 2020.
“Desmond is going to compete. Chris is going to compete. And we’ll figure it out once we get those guys out there. But Desmond, he’s competed his whole life. This is nothing for him,” Lynn said, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.
If the team’s intentions are to move King from the slot to inside the box, he will still see the field, but his snaps will decrease from the amount that he’s been accustomed to playing the past few seasons.
Another key player in a crowded secondary whose role remains to be seen is former second-round selection Nasir Adderley.
Adderley was drafted last yer to compete for the starting free safety spot with Rayshawn Jenkins. After flashing in the preseason, a hamstring injury kept him off the field for the majority of the regular season.
While Adderley sat on the sideline, Jenkins earned the trust of the coaching staff in his first season as the starter at position. Given the amount of belief that they have in Jenkins, it will be an uphill climb for Adderley in his second season.
With the outside corner spot opposite of Casey Hayward still in a flux, there’s the thought of Adderley moving there permanently since he played it early on in college, but Lynn might not exactly be sold on the idea.
“I haven’t seen him play corner, but I tell you, he is a good athlete,” Lynn said. “I wouldn’t bet against the young man. But we just need to get him on the field. I believe when he gets on the field, things will work itself out. But we got to get him on the field, and I believe he’s healthy right now. Looking forward to getting a healthy guy out there, because I believe he can play. That’s why we took him in the second round last year,” Lynn said.
For Adderley, he is just going to have to compete in the coming months. Whether it’s at free safety, cornerback or just on special teams, the former Delaware product will have to show that he’s healthy and can stay injury-free in order to garner more reps in his sophomore campaign.
As for the rest of the group, it’s loaded with talent and they have potential to be labeled as one of the best in the league. The only question that needs to be answered is regarding the third cornerback position. Are they going to roll with Michael Davis, make an internal move such as moving Adderley there or look to the draft to add competition?