Lions hosting edge rusher Arden Key for free agent visit
To kick off the second week of NFL free agency, the Detroit Lions are bringing in edge rusher Arden Key for a visit.
As the second week of NFL free agency gets going, the Detroit Lions will have opportunities to add some talent to need areas. According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Media, they will have defensive lineman Arden Key in for a visit on Monday.
Garafolo added he’s hearing there are multiple teams interested in Key, but he’s starting with a visit to Detroit.
Key had a breakout season with the San Francisco 49ers in 2021, with 6.5 sacks, 36 pressures and 17 quarterback hits over all 17 games (zero starts) and across 374 snaps. A third-round pick by the Raiders out of LSU in 2018, he will turn 26 in early May.
Here’s a look at how Key was used by the 49ers last season, not purely as an edge rusher–often lining up inside as a three-technique.
Arden Key is having the best year of his career under 49ers superstar DL coach Kris Kocurek, primarily lining up inside as a 3T using a silky smooth swipe move for 4 of his 5 HQ sacks this season. Another example of elite coaching unlocking disregarded talent. pic.twitter.com/QjlrLGdGEC
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) December 30, 2021
Arden Key looks like a very nice fit for the Lions
The Lions had a low-wattage pass rush in 2021. Injuries to Romeo Okwara and Trey Flowers didn’t help, but Michael Brockers also didn’t offer much push from the inside. Charles Harris was a bright spot, registering 7.5 sacks, and he has been re-signed. The draft is likely to bring some reinforcements off the edge or in the interior defensive line.
On the idea of candidates to replace Harris if it had come to that, Key made a lot of sense for the Lions. As they move toward using more four-man fronts next season he might be an even better fit, and Pro Football Focus pointed to that in ranking him among their top-200 free agents.
"After bulking up over the last few years, Key put together a career year in 2021, grading at 68.1 overall including an impressive 75.4 grade as a pass-rusher,” “He was effective moving around the line of scrimmage, and that makes him an intriguing option as a rotational pass-rusher moving forward.”"
At the time of the list, when free agency started, here’s PFF’s contract projection for Key.
"Contract Projection: Two years, $12.5 million ($6.25M per year), $6.25 million total guaranteed"
Key is not a stout run defender, but he would be a nice addition to the Lions pass rush. They’ll get the first chance to woo him, as his market apparently heats up in the second week of free agency.
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