The Jacksonville Jaguars made a shrewd post-owners meetings move on Wednesday, signing former San Francisco 49ers pass rusher Arden Key to a one-year deal. The contract — which is worth up to $7 million, as Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson has confirmed — gives the Jaguars flexibility heading into April.
The Jaguars own the first overall pick in next month’s draft. While they are expected to address either the offensive or defensive line with the selection, Jacksonville has made moves with both spots that give them the option to pick the best player available.
Jaguars’ signing of Arden Key could impact former first-round pick
With Key, 25, joining the defensive front, his arrival could have a major impact on former first-round pick K’Lavon Chaisson. While Chaisson is only 22, he’s played in the NFL for two seasons and has largely been a disappointment. A linebacker-defensive end tweener, Chaisson has had trouble fitting into two drastically different defenses during his first two campaigns. He now enters his third season with his third defensive coordinator.
Key, who is coming off a 6.5-sack season with the 49ers, joins a room that already features Chaisson, Josh Allen, and Dawuane Smoot. The Jaguars, who value the trenches under new head coach Doug Pederson, are likely to use their first overall pick on Michigan pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson after using the franchise tag on left tackle Cam Robinson.
At some point, the depth chart could become too heavy for the Jaguars, and Key’s arrival — coinciding with Hutchinson’s potential selection — could make Chaisson expendable.
Key’s impact on the Jaguars’ draft plans
While Key is a veteran pass rusher, he’s probably best fit rotating behind the likes of Allen and another ace edge rusher. Hutchinson, the presumed top target of the Jaguars, should remain in that spot on the totem pole even after Key’s arrival.
While players like Smoot and Chaisson could be slighted by the arrival of Key, the veteran is probably going to be no better than third on the depth chart pecking order.
If Jaguars viewed Hutchinson, Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux, or even Georgia’s Travon Walker as their top pick on Tuesday, that distinction shouldn’t change after Key’s signing on Wednesday.