The Tennessee Titans did not make a deal during Tuesday's NFL trade deadline. The Athletic's Dianna Russini consistently reported throughout the day that general manager Ran Carthon was receiving inquiring calls about veteran defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day and outside linebacker Arden Key. After all, the 2-6 Titans had signaled their intention to sell by trading DeAndre Hopkins and Ernest Jones IV leading up to Tuesday's deadline.
Despite teams calling Carthon to garner his interest in trading Key, the veteran pass rusher stayed put. By declining opportunities to trade him in exchange for much-needed draft capital, Carthon sealed Key's 2025 fate. The speedy pass rusher should return to the Titans defense next season.
Unlike Hopkins and Jones, Key is not on an expiring contract. The former LSU standout signed a three-year contract with the Titans last offseason worth $21 million, an agreement that expires after next year's 2025 campaign. Thus Carthon likely felt no sense of urgency to trade him.
That doesn't necessarily guarantee that Key will remain with the Titans next season, but declining opportunities to trade him for draft capital might. Carthon could technically release Key from his contract in the offseason. Designating him as a post-June release would create $7 million in financial flexibility, with a manageable dead money charge of $2.3 million, according to OverTheCap's data.
But if the Titans saw Key as a likely cap casualty this offseason, wouldn't trading him, even for a lower-round 2025 NFL draft selection have made sense? Declining that opportunity indicates Key remains in Carthon's plans moving forward. Keep in mind a post-June release means that money literally becomes available in June, the later wave of free agency where additions like Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams are possible, but it wouldn't help the Titans lure the Calvin Ridley's and L'Jarius Sneed's in March.
Key has really rounded into form as of late. After recording just seven pressures and zero sacks in Tennessee's opening five games, Key has exploded out of his shell in the last three contests. The ex-SEC defender has 12 pressures and four sacks throughout that time frame, per Pro Football Focus, including a season-best six-pressure showing in Sunday's victory over the New England Patriots.
Key was promoted to full-time starter opposite Harold Landry III this year. He didn't begin the season by meeting expectations, but he's now performing like a starting-caliber defender. The Titans should have interest in acquiring another high-end pass rusher to pair with Landry this offseason, relegating Key to rotational duties, a role he thrived in during the 2023 campaign.
That would be a well-suited role for Key at his currently scheduled salary. Tuesday's decision to retain Key should have implications on Tennessee's 2025 campaign. Otherwise the Titans missed an opportunity to receive draft-pick compensation in exchange for his services.