The Lions are eyeing defensive help in a player on the rise: 25-year-old pass rusher Arden Key.
Key is coming to Detroit for a free agent visit Monday, per Mike Garafolo, on the heels of a season in which he posted career highs in sacks (6.5) and QB pressures (36). "There's a few other teams in the mix" for Key's services, per Garafolo, but his first visit is with the Lions.
A third-round pick of the Raiders in 2018, Key had three sacks combined in his first three seasons. He more than doubled his production in 2021 after signing a one-year deal with the 49ers.
He also earned a career-best pass rushing grade from Pro Football Focus of 79.4, which ranked among the top 20 edge defenders in the NFL. And he ranked among the top five with a grade of 90.4 in true pass sets. (He was used sparingly against the run.)
A product of LSU, the 6'5 Key would bolster a defensive line in Detroit that produced the third fewest sacks in the NFL last season. He'd also provide insurance against a slow recovery for DE Romeo Okwara, who's working his way back from a torn Achilles.
The Lions did re-sign their leading pass rusher from 2021 in Charles Harris and are expected to further fortify their defensive line early in the draft, where they have three of the first 34 picks, including No. 2 overall.