20-sack edge rusher, Arden Key is generating trade interest before this year’s deadline and the Ravens, Chiefs are possible fits.
According to a report, the Cardinals reached out to Key instead of Azeez Ojulari since the Giants raised the prices on him and Darius Slayton.
The Titans haven’t been shy of trading talent away this season after sending DeAndre Hopkins to Kansas City so it shouldn’t surprise anyone if Key is on a new team this upcoming week.
Even though Tennesse found a way to defeat the Patriots in an overtime thriller, Key was a factor in that matchup forcing the fumble to set the Titans up in the red zone.
Undoubtedly, this boosts his trade value which may be good news for Tennessee’s future since they may get a better deal to gain some draft capital. Originally selected in the 2018 NFL Draft, the LSU product has been a journeyman in his career after spending his earlier seasons with the Raiders, 49ers and Jaguars before signing with the Titans in 2023.
Key is still under contract through 2025 but takes a minimal cap hit of $6.5 million for that year so it’s manageable for teams to pursue.
Even though he struggled to get on a strong footing in Las Vegas, he found himself being a reliable edge defender between the 49ers and Jacksonville. He recorded six sacks and 12 quarterback hits through his first year in Tennessee.
It’ll be interesting to see what the Titans do but being at 2-6, they should be able to firesale talent to build a new foundation in 2025.
20-Sack Edge Rusher Arden Key Generating Trade Interest After Sunday Win – Ravens, Chiefs Possible Fits
Key to Baltimore’s Defense?
The Ravens are building a team after getting active in this year’s trade market, acquiring Diontae Johnson to bolster the passing game for Lamar Jackson.
Nobody loves rotating pass rushers more than Baltimore, so they could use some extra reinforcement to give the team’s defense balance. Key has thrived in that section of the unit so he probably could find a role in the Ravens’ defense.
After getting Yannick Ngakoue back midseason, the Ravens should be looking to add one more edge defender to prepare to break the Championship drought.
The Ravens have always been competitive in the AFC playoffs but nowhere near the level of Patrick Mahomes and the offense.
If Baltimore wants to dethrone the Chiefs this season in a likely head-to-head rematch in the AFC Championship, they should go after someone like Key to improve the depth of the defensive line.
While they have Kyle Van Noy and Roquan Smith, their performance hasn’t been matching their 2023 production just like Nnamdi Madubuike. Even though Key got off to a slow start this season, posting three sacks and six quarterback pressures, the Ravens could utilize him to take advantage of the momentum coming off that critical overtime win over New England.
Constructing a Super Team
After trading for Josh Uche, the Chiefs are still monitoring the trade market for some new additions before the deadline is over. Even though they have one of the best defensive tackles in Chris Jones, the team lacks reliable depth in their pass-rushing unit.
Kansas City is still one of the most dangerous teams in the league despite the continuous wide-receiving woes they’ve been dealing with. They have DeAndre Hopkins in the mix who Andy Reid is hoping would be a capable producer to improve the passing game.
However, Kansas City must continue to upgrade from George Karlaftis and give more depth to relieve Uche. Key doesn’t need to be a full-time starter like Kansas City is expecting from Uche but enough to come in on certain third-down drives.
