One week after their initial meeting , the Jacksonville Jaguars and defensive end Arden Key have signed a one-year contract. The deal is worth up to $7 million, according to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network.
Major Key Alert!
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) March 30, 2022
We’ve signed DE Arden Key.@Dream_Finders | #DUUUVAL
Per a release from the Jaguars, prior to joining the NFL, Key -- a native of Lithonia, Georgia -- played at LSU from 2015 to 2017 and racked up 130 tackles and 20.0 sacks across 31 games. Key set a Tigers record with 12.0 sacks in 2016 and earned Second-Team All-SEC honors in the process, before attending Hapeville Charter Academy in Atlanta, where he collected 15.0 sacks as a senior.
Key was selected in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the then-Oakland Raiders and spent the first three years of his career with the organization. As a rookie, he set what is still a career-high in tackles with 30, while making the only 10 starts through his four seasons thus far.
The 25-year-old played in only seven games in 2019 after suffering a broken foot, but bounced back to play in 14 contests in 2020. That year, Key produced 15 tackles, 11 quarterback hits and two passes defended.
His lone campaign the San Francisco 49ers, 2021 was arguably Key's finest season as he set career-highs in quarterback hits (17), sacks (6.5) and tackles for loss (five). His quarterback hits and sacks ranked second on the team, only trailing Pro Bowler Nick Bosa in both categories.
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