Defensive tackle will be a top priority for the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason, but the team's brass also needs to address the pass rush. While the Jags have a pair of talented defensive ends in Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen, the rest of their rotation could use a boost.
Granted, Danny Striggow and B.J. Green II showed promise in 2025. With enough time, they could develop into integral rotational pieces. However, the pass rush is in need of reinforcements right now, and a familiar face in free agency could be the answer.
The Jaguars could re-sign Arden Key in free agency to bolster the pass rush
Arden Key bet on himself when he signed a one-year deal with the Jags in 2022. He posted 4.5 sacks as part of the rotation behind a then-rookie Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen. The former LSU Tiger wanted to return to Jacksonville but felt disrespected by the offer the team made, so he crossed enemy lines and inked a three-year deal worth $21 million with the Tennessee Titans.
All things considered, Key has played well during his stint in Nashville, registering 16.5 sacks the past three seasons. He's now slated to become a free agent and isn't really sure whether he'll return to the Titans.
Given that new head coach Robert Saleh has a defensive background, the Titans could make a push to re-sign Key. However, there's a chance he'll be available. If he is, the Jaguars should make a push to bring him back.
A third-round pick by the Las Vegas (then Oakland) Raiders in 2018, Key got off to an underwhelming start to his NFL career, registering just three sacks in his first three seasons. That led the Silver & Black to move on from the Atlanta, Georgia native in 2021. The San Francisco 49ers swooped in and signed him. It was in the Bay Area where he put it all together, tallying a career-best 6.5 sacks.
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Why the Jaguars need to sign Arden Key in free agency
The Jaguars' need for a better pass rush was clear in the loss to the Buffalo Bills when they couldn't pressure quarterback Josh Allen. Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen weren't necessarily bad, but neither was able to take his game to the next level when the stakes were at their highest.
Having an improved interior defensive line will most definitely help, but so will a better rotation on the edge. That's where Key would come in. He would give the Jags' rotation and immediate push, and it wouldn't be cost-prohibitive. Spotrac projects his market value at $13.1 million in free agency.
Then again, Jacksonville is currently $17 million over the cap. Re-signing players such as running back Devin Lloyd, running back Travis Etienne, and cornerback Montaric Brown may be bigger priorities than the pass rush.
But if the Jaguars end up freeing up enough space, Arden Key should most definitely be a target in the open market. Sure, they may have bigger priorities, but they can't overlook the pass rush if they want to return to the playoffs in 2026.