Denver Broncos final targets for George Paton to finish epic offseason
3. Sign Outside Linebacker/Defensive End Arden Key
In the picture above, one of these guys already signed with the Denver Broncos this offseason.
D.J. Jones, a former teammate of Arden Key, just inked a three-year deal with the Denver Broncos for $30 million. So if George Paton and the Denver Broncos were watching tape on Jones, they had to see Arden Key as well.
Along with D.J. Jones, the Denver Broncos signed an offensive lineman from the San Francisco 49ers, Tom Compton. Meaning, if George Paton has the slightest bit of interest in adding another pass rusher, he could ask two current members of the Denver Broncos about what type of player and person Arden Key truly is.
Arden Key also spent the first three seasons with a division rival, the Las Vegas Raiders.
Much like Randy Gregory, Arden Key’s stats are average, but his ceiling is what warrants so much intrigue. Key hasn’t even sniffed his potential yet and in a situation where he only played 35% of the 49ers’ snaps last season, he had 6.5 sacks.
In a season where the Denver Broncos couldn’t get a sack if they went to the local King Soopers, now Seattle Seahawk, Shelby Harris led the team in sacks with just six. That lack of pressure is not going to cut it facing Justin Herbert, Patrick Mahomes, and Derek Carr twice a year, especially with the disposal of talent at all of their respective hands.
Key has shown that he can impact games, even if a part-time role. Signing Arden Key as the team’s third pass rusher would refrain George Paton from breaking the bank as well.
As a 6-foot-5 240 pound pass rusher, Arden Key could be tough to handle as a stand-up pass rusher on the opposite side of Bradley Chubb or Randy Gregory. Imagine the NASCAR package that this team could have with Bradley Chubb, Dre’Mont Jones, Randy Gregory, and Arden Key coming after the opposing quarterback.
Current Defensive Coordinator, Ejiro Evero, harped on how the Denver Broncos would get to the quarterback, no matter what it took.