While the Tennessee Titans were blown out by the Detroit Lions by a score of 52-14 this Sunday, the game wasn't a total loss for the organization.
Outside linebacker Arden Key is one of the most tradable assets the Titans still have on the roster. Key is likely to be cut after the 2024 season with his base salary jumping up to $6.5 million in 2025.
This year, he would cost his buyer less than $100,000 per game. And with the performance Key had against the Lions, Key is proving why he can be valuable to a contending team and his trade value is rocketing up at the perfect time.
Key shines in Detroit
The Titans' defense got off to a hot start in Detroit. Key sacked Lions quarterback Jared Goff for a seven-yard loss on the first play of the game. That set up a punt on the opening drive. Later on in the first quarter, Key got home once again and strip sacked Goff on third down.
Key would record an additional QB hit on another Titans strip sack when he and defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons came crashing down on Goff in the second half. The 28-year-old outside linebacker finished the game with two sacks, three quarterback hits, and six tackles (a new career-high).
Maybe it's a bad sign for the Titans coaching staff, but when speaking to the media before the trip to Detroit, Key mentioned that he got some outside help that changed his approach to rushing the passer.
"I changed some things up the last three weeks and you see the last two games, I rushed a lot different and was a lot more productive than the games before," Key said after recording his first sack of the season against the Buffalo Bills. "Now I'm starting to see the payoff, which is sacks and pressures."
Whatever adjustments Key made, they seem to be working. All of a sudden, he looks like a valuable trade chip that could net a return if moved before the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, November 5th.
The Titans are in fire sale mode. Anybody with short-term value and no longterm contract control needs to be moved. Key falls into that bucket for me. Ran Carthon and the front office are tryin to amass as much draft capital as possible to continue building the foundation of this organization. I don't see any reason for Tennessee to keep Key for an extra 8-9 games just because.
So while the loss in Detroit was brutal for Titans fans, Arden Key's big game could end up being one positive that pays off in the future. In a season like this one, the little victories truly mean something.
