Arden Key revitalized his career with the 49ers last season and was rewarded with a one-year deal from the Jaguars in free agency. The contract is worth up to $7 million per NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo.
Key joined San Francisco last offseason when the Raiders let him go following three disappointing seasons. He was once a top prospect in the 2018 draft, but slipped to the third round because of some off-field troubles his final year at LSU.
The 49ers have made a habit of snagging edge rushers who’ve underperformed in the NFL and trying to mine their untapped potential. It worked with Key who posted a career-high 6.5 sacks in the regular season. He had only 3.0 in three years with the Raiders.
A change in his role that saw him kick inside to rush the passer from the interior helped unlock his production, and now he’ll look to continue his career resurgence in Jacksonville.
The writing was on the wall for his exit when the 49ers signed defensive end Kerry Hyder, who led the team in sacks in 2020. Hyder fills a similar role on a smaller contract than the one Key earned with his big 2021 campaign.
