Arden Key is Proving to be an Offseason Steal for the 49ers

Arden Key is becoming a key contributor for the 49ers pass rush.

Arden Key has been fantastic the past several weeks.

How he has stepped up since Week 9 has been a solid benefit for the 49ers pass rush. Everything productive out of the pass rush came from Nick Bosa. Eventually, Bosa was going to need a supporting cast to aid him, especially with Dee Ford out of the picture.

Key has definitely been a large part of the charge to lead support for Bosa. He is turning it up so heavily that Key is having the best season of his career. It is a credit to the work he has done to progress, the players around him, and of course defensive line coach Kris Kocurek. Anytime there is potential in a player, Kocurek can get that out of them. 

The 49ers signed Key in free agency to a one-year deal worth more than one million dollars as he exited the Raiders. Key is becoming stellar value for the 49ers.

In fact, Key is proving to be an offseason steal for the 49ers.

Strictly off what the 49ers signed him for, Key looks like a tremendous offseason signing. If he can maintain this form going into the playoffs should the 49ers make it, then it will not even be up for debate at that point. Anytime a low risk, high reward signing pans out in free agency, it is always a massive win because it isn't common to work out. Key clearly is working out when the 49ers pass rush needed more than just Bosa.

“I think Arden has gotten progressively better," said DeMeco Ryans. "He's proven to us that he can go in and be an effective pass rusher for us. The past couple of weeks, I don't know if it's been every week, but he's consistently hitting the quarterback. And when you do that, it just gives us more confidence to give him more opportunities to go out and rush the passer and that's what he's been doing." 

Key has registered eight pressures and seven quarterback hits since Week 9, so it is more than just the past couple of weeks. Key is hitting his stride perfectly as the 49ers make their run for a playoff berth.

The 49ers needed someone to step up in the pass rush department. Arik Armstead would be the guy to look to after Bosa, but he isn't making enough of an impact to be a clear-cut threat. 

The pass rush has essentially been Key and other players on the defensive line platooning. They're all shuffling production. It is essentially a crapshoot of who is going to make an impact. So far, it is Key who has been the most impactful as he has the second most sacks on the team with five. He has a sack in every game since Week 9 aside from Week 12. 

"I think Arden is having a career year, the most sacks he's ever had in his career,” Ryans said. “I'm so happy for him to be able to have the type of year that he's having and proud of the way that he's work. Proud of what he's doing on Sundays for us."