The Tennessee Titans suffered their second-worst loss of the Titans era on Sunday, losing 52-14 to the Detroit Lions. If there was a positive development on Sunday, it’s that the 1-6 Titans moved up to No. 2 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft order. After trading away DeAndre Hopkins and Ernest Jones IV last week, it’s clear that general manager Ran Carthon should continue trading players in exchange for draft capital.
Should the Tennessee Titans trade Arden Key?
Arden Key could garner interest on the trade market
One of the veterans that could garner interest this week is Titans EDGE Arden Key. Key has struggled this season after being promoted to full-time starter opposite Harold Landry, but he arguably displayed his best showing of the 2024 campaign against the Lions on Sunday. The speedy pass rusher blew past Lions left tackle Taylor Decker on Detroit’s first offensive snap for his third sack.
“Your tape is your resume,” Key said post-game following Sunday’s embarrassment.
Key’s resume-defining showing occurred versus a Super Bowl contending Lions team that recently lost superstar pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson to a season-ending injury. The Lions blew the Titans out, but they only sacked Mason Rudolph once. The pass rush left plenty to be desired without Hutchinson’s dominance.
Key is signed through the 2026 campaign on a three-year contract. His base salary and cap charge increases to $6.5 and $9.3 million next season, according to Over The Cap, but he’s also a potential offseason cap casualty. Designating Key as a post-June release creates $7 million in financial flexibility, so an acquiring franchise could view him as a postseason-push rental.
Key played with motivation and intensity versus the Lions. Perhaps he’s hoping to be traded to a contender like the needy Lions, who watched him beat their quality offensive tackles with consistency on Sunday. The Titans, who need to acquire a starting-caliber pass rusher in the offseason anyway, should trade Key for a 2025 draft-pick if they can find a taker.