NASHVILLE — The talk of Tennessee Titans' practice has been DeAndre Hopkins and for good reason , but on the defensive side of the ball, no one has stood out like edge rusher Arden Key. Whether that be with his personality or his play.
Key was constantly in the backfield making plays on Friday and you would know with your eyes closed as well. Key has an infectious personality, but the Titans offensive line might be sick of hearing from Key after he put up seven sacks on the day according to Key himself. He was certainly close, if not correct about that number.
Key dominated whoever he went against, but for the most part, he went against starting left tackle Andre Dillard. Head coach Mike Vrabel was asked about Dillard and spent most of the answer praising Key. You can tell Vrabel is enamored by his skillset.
"Arden has offered us a lot of impact over there just in a short time," Vrabel explained. "We don't have pads on and they're not sacking the quarterback, but I know that Arden is able to mix moves. He is getting multiple moves and different looks, wiggle, long arm, chop, everything you can give him. We'll take all we can get."
Vrabel is right to point out that no one is wearing pads. Obviously, in a situation where the physicality is limited, the offensive line will be at a disadvantage and Key, who is a very athletic edge rusher, would thrive in that same situation.
However, Key was incredibly productive the last two seasons in a limited role. As pointed out on our site before, Key had the second-most pressures of any player in the NFL the last month of the season in 2022. He only trailed Nick Bosa, the defensive player of the year.
We will take Key's performance today with a grain of necessary salt, but it is fair to get excited about what Key can bring to the Titans' defense. Based on that answer from Vrabel after practice, sounds like he is excited about Key as well.
Titans Related Training Camp Stories
Titans Sign Hubbard: The Tennessee Titans had two veteran offensive tackles, Chris Hubbard and George Fant, in for a workout last Saturday. Now, according to a report, the Titans have chosen to sign Hubbard while Fant goes to Houston. CLICK HERE
Inside Details on Hopkins Signing: The Tennessee Titans were able to land wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and some key members of the Titans front office, including general manager Ran Carthon, outlined all the aspects that went into Hopkins recruitment. CLICK HERE
Hopkins Shine At Titans Practice: The Tennessee Titans were back out on the practice field on Friday and DeAndre Hopkins was once again the star of the show, making multiple catches including a one-hander over Kristian Fulton. CLICK HERE
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