Getty Cam Akers of the Rams runs against Charles Omenihu (No. 92) and Ambry Thomas of the 49ers during the Sunday, January 30 NFC title game.
While the rest of the world prepares for the Super Bowl, there are those fans preparing to be glued to who becomes the biggest free agent splash this offseason — including those who follow the San Francisco 49ers.
Obviously, there’s the hoopla surrounding what happens to quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo following the 49ers’ run to the NFC championship game. However, the ‘Niners happen to have other key free agents who could look appealing for either a new breakout deal with the team or elsewhere.
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And one free agent, in particular, has earned this label from Pro Football Focus’s Sam Monson: One of his under-the-radar free agents available.
Who PFF Believes is ‘Under the Radar’ Among 49ers’ Free Agent Class
Monson named off 10 different names in his January 31 article titled “2022 NFL Free Agency: 10 Under-the-Radar Free Agents.”
And the one 49er he named off? Edge rusher Arden Key.
The 25-year-old put together his best season to date with finishing with a career-best 6.5 sacks — good enough for second on the ‘Niners behind top sack master Nick Bosa. Here’s why Monson believes the 6-foot-5, 240-pounder qualifies as an “under the radar” free agent for this cycle:
“The 49ers signing Arden Key is a perfect example of how under-the-radar free agents can have a huge surplus impact on their teams. Key is on a one-year, $1 million deal and was a valuable impact pass-rusher for them late in the season.
Key won’t be confused with an All-Pro any time soon, but he has 27 pressures since Week 13, including five sacks. He has been an important part of the rotation for the 49ers and vastly outperformed his contract.
The fourth-year edge still has a very situational profile, given his size, and plays a much bigger role in the pass rush than he does against the run. Still, that profile is valuable in today’s NFL, and he has shown he has a role to play at this level.”
In looking at past plays from the 2021 season delivered by Key, it becomes easy to see why he could be appealing for teams seeking to bolster their pass rush next fall — or for the 49ers to try to keep him somehow.
Key Highlights From Key
Here’s what the change of scenery did for Key the moment he arrived to the Bay Area via the Las Vegas Raiders:
The Kris Kocurek effect…Give that man a raise this offseason
Arden Key:
Raiders: 2018-2020 – 3 sacks
Niners: 2021 – 8 sacks
ℹ️: @pff
His edge speed immediately closed off any hope of pass protection against the Los Angeles Rams with a playoff berth on the line during their Week 18 meeting:
Even before that season finale, Key showed how slippery he was along the line of scrimmage.
I might be wrong but I think Jalen Mayfield failed to even touch Arden Key rushing over the inside
While Bosa was the one who set the tone for the 49ers’ pass rush and drew double teams, the 49ers and defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans began to trust Key on their more creative stunts to apply pressure on opposing quarterbacks:
Arden Key getting a sack here on a stunt. The amount of attention put on Bosa unlocks everything for this defense. The scary part is they seem to be just hitting their stride.
Along with his explosive get-off, Key began to develop a stutter move that helped freeze up his blocker, before attacking him with a hand swipe to get to the quarterback.
And, when Bosa and Key were aligned together on the same side, both tore down the pass protection as seen here against Joe Burrow and the AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals.
But again, can the 49ers somehow keep Key following a spectacular 2021?
One Writer Believes AFC Team is a Suitor for Key
There’s already one writer who thinks Key would be a “low cost” solution to bolster their pass rush.
Mark Lane of USA Today’s Texans Wire is a believer that the Houston Texans can get Key at a not-so-expensive price in his Thursday, February 3 article. Even if the Texans draft prized defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux in the first round, Lane says adding Key could be a huge assist for the Houston defense:
“One area where the Texans could use help is the defensive line. Whether the Texans look to grab a dominant edge rusher such as Kayvon Thibodeaux in the NFL draft or continue with the collaborative effort, they will need to add beef to the edge defense.”
Key, however, said back on January 13 that he loves the 49ers. Finding the “Key” to keep the “under the radar” free agent is the biggest question to ask.