It won't be easy for the Jacksonville Jaguars to keep pass-rusher Arden Key.
A year after Key proved to be one of the most important pieces of the Jaguars' defense and locker room, the free-agent is likely to draw a large number of suitors. According to Heavy On Sports' Matt Lombardo, 8-9 teams have expressed interest in pursuing Key.
No pass-rusher was more efficient for the Jaguars in 2022 than Key, so the Jaguars need to seriously consider paying him what he is worth. While playing mostly as a rotational player and sub-package edge rusher, Key led the Jaguars' defensive line and edge rushers in pass-rush win-rate and was second on the team in pressures and quarterback hits despite not being an every-down player. When injuries hit, it was Key who stepped up.
Appearing in 20 games for the Jaguars, Key recorded 4.5 sacks and five tackles for loss.
"Key made the most of a one-year flier with the Jaguars after a strong 2021 season with the San Francisco 49ers that got his career back on track, earning his second consecutive 70.0-plus pass-rush grade to go along with 90 combined quarterback pressures and 11 sacks over the stretch," Pro Football Focus wrote.
"Key’s 14.6% pressure percentage over the past two seasons ties for 17th among edge defenders, and he’s still an ascending player with the ability to rush the passer from all over the defensive line."
“Everybody is under contract except for me and 17 (Jaguars TE Evan Engram),” Key said following the Jaguars' divisional-round playoff loss to the Chiefs.
“I think they’re going to bring us back and add more to it. We’re gonna add a couple of pieces here to get us over that hump that we have this year. All in all, the same football team is coming back here next year. And we’re going to be better. Mike (DC Mike Caldwell) in his second year as a DC is going to call better plays and the whole nine. Us as a defense, we’re going to play better, we’re going to play faster. This is our first time in the system. Next year will be our second time in the system and everything will click faster.”
“I love it,” Key said. “I definitely did bet on myself and I definitely think I wanted it bad. What I did on the field, what I did for the city, and the state, and what I did for Duval County, I mean, just the accomplishments that we have made. We made it this far in the playoffs. Three to four weeks ago, it was the loudest it has ever been, sold out tickets, just turning a 3-7 record all the way around to do this, to be where we are now. I mean, Jacksonville and the state has to be very proud of what we did. And, continue to believe in us, we’re going to be back next year.”
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