Titans hit jackpot again with key free agent signing
The Titans have received very positive early returns on one key addition to the defense. The pun is intended, by the way. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, Titans edge Arden Key generated more pressures than any other player in Week 1. Key finished the day with 11 pressures, which is four more than any other […]
The Titans have received very positive early returns on one key addition to the defense. The pun is intended, by the way.
Per NFL Next Gen Stats, Titans edge Arden Key generated more pressures than any other player in Week 1. Key finished the day with 11 pressures, which is four more than any other player.
Since Week 14 of the 2022 season, only Haason Reddick and Micah Parsons have had more pressures than Key. Interestingly, Key's 35 pressures over that period are more than Nick Bosa or Josh Allen.
Against the Saints, Key converted those 11 pressures into four tackles, one tackle for loss, 1.5 sacks, one pass defended, and two QB hits.
If the Titans can count on production like this from Key, the defense could be a force. In Week One, the team collected four sacks and Harold Landry III wasn't even involved in any. If Landry returns to his usual form, Jeffery Simmons and Denico Autry do what they do, and Key plays like this? The Titans defense will be scary.
Key appears on his way to being the next Denico Autry for the Titans. By that I mean, Autry was underappreciated as a free agent, and his signing didn't garner national headlines. Yet, the veteran has consistently made his presence known since arriving in Nashville. In Autry's last season as a Colt, he had 7.5 sacks. Since coming to Nashville, Autry had nine sacks in 2021 and eight in 2022.
Key's career-high sack total is 6.5, which he reached in 2021 as a San Francisco 49er. The edge rusher should have no problem eclipsing that total in 2023 if these are the types of performances we're going to get.
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Featured image via © Andrew Nelles-USA TODAY Sports
