Cardinals Urged to Call Titans About DE

The Arizona Cardinals have been urged to call the Tennessee Titans about a linebacker trade.

Oct 13, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans linebacker Arden Key (49) screams as he takes the field against the Indianapolis Colts during the first half at Nissan Stadium. / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

The Tennessee Titans have just a few days left to decide what they want to do ahead of the NFL trade deadline. Many believe that they still have more selling to do.

One potential name that could be on the move before the trade deadline on Tuesday is linebacker Arden Key.

Key has put together a solid season so far with the Titans. He has played in all seven games this season, racking up 17 tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a defended pass.

Those numbers show the kind of impact that he's capable of making.

Sports Illustrated recently put out an article breaking down one trade that each team in the NFL should make before the deadline. One of them had the Arizona Cardinals being urged to call Tennessee about Key.

"The Cardinals could create some separation in the division standings if they add a quality edge rusher.  The 28-year-old Key remains a productive player while playing for the struggling one-win Titans. He has three sacks this season, and was a standout player for the San Francisco 49ers in 2021, but has gotten lost playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Titans the past three seasons," they wrote.

At 28 years old, Key could end up being a piece that the Titans keep around. However, they would have to give him a new deal to keep him around. That might not be something they'd love to do.

If they don't see him being an obvious long-term piece for the defensive side of the ball, trading him for some value would make sense. Along with suggesting Key as a trade target for the Cardinals, they also suggested that a sixth-round pick could get the deal done.

For Tennessee, acquiring any draft asset that they can get would be important. A sixth-round pick can be a deciding factor in moving around in the draft via trades.

Looking ahead to the future, the Titans are in an interesting situation. No one knows if they have a legitimate franchise quarterback, they have a lot of holes throughout the roster, and they'll need to find ways to plug those holes during the offseason.

Key may not end up being moved, but he's worth keeping an eye on. Arizona would certainly make sense as a destination for them as they try to make a run at the playoffs.

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