2018 third-round pick Arden Key had a rough rookie season. After the team traded away Khalil Mack and released Bruce Irvin, Key was forced into action far too early. He finished his rookie season by playing in all 16 games, but he recorded just one sack and four tackles for a loss.
However, the Oakland Raiders have a new plan for their edge rusher. In 2019, the plan is to keep him fresh and use his only on passing downs. On early downs, it will likely be Clelin Ferrell and Josh Mauro who will be tasked with stopping the run from the defensive end spots. Through the first preseason game, that plan appears to be working.
Late in the first half, Key made his presence known as he brought down the quarterback on a 3rd and 4. You can watch that full clip below via the NFL’s Twitter account:
With Key not having to focus so much on stopping the run, he can continue to develop his pass-rushing moves like the one we saw above. Allowing him to just hunt the quarterback rather than overthinking about all of his responsibilities on the field should lead to a more productive player for the Raiders.
While his overall snap total might be done this season compared to 2018, look for Key to thrive in his new role as a pass-rush specialist for Oakland.
