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Raiders defensive end Arden Key hopes 3rd year is charm

Updated August 26, 2020 - 6:43 pm

Raiders defensive end Arden Key’s least favorite thing about Las Vegas has been the heat.

If he’s feeling any heat to finally live up to expectations after two underwhelming seasons, he’s not showing it.

The 2018 third-round pick has been impressive throughout training camp as he prepares for his third season, which could be vital in determining his future with the franchise.

“I’m in a good place mentally,” the 24-year-old said after Wednesday’s training camp practice at the team facility in Henderson. “I don’t take a lot of stuff too hard or a lot of stuff personal, because a lot of stuff in life isn’t personal. You have to learn to roll with it and keep it moving. Get your emotions pretty much out of a lot of these things.

“I learned to shut my ego up.”

Key entered the NFL with a ton of talent and hasn’t been shy about saying it, but the production hasn’t been there. He had one sack in 16 games, including 10 starts, as a rookie in 2018.

As rumblings about inconsistency and inability to stay healthy started to build in the first half of last season, with Key struggling to get on the field, he had a breakthrough.

Key recorded sacks in back-to-back games and looked as if he was finally emerging. Then he got hurt and was placed on season-ending injured reserve.

“I’ve done a lot of self-reflecting trying to get mentally right, especially coming off the (foot) injury,” he said. “I had a pretty solid two games before I get hurt. It was just mostly mentally getting myself prepared for life and football.”

The work appears to have paid off. He has said he thinks his job, as largely a passing-down specialist, is to focus on setting a new line of scrimmage in the backfield and finding the quarterback. Key has looked fast and strong, making frequent appearances in the backfield and wreaking havoc along the line.

Defensive coordinator Paul Guenther has taken notice.

“I just think he came in, he understands this is his third year and he’s not satisfied with what he’s done so far,” Guenther said earlier in camp. “I’m glad he’s got a chip on his shoulder, and we’re looking for big things from him.”

Key is one of the few players general manager Mike Mayock inherited when he took the job in late 2018 who is still on the roster.

He has managed to survive the purge of players from the previous regime, but that might not be the case if he underperforms again.

But Mayock doesn’t expect it to be a problem.

“When I was at NFL Network, I did his Pro Day,” Mayock said this week. “I knew all about the kid coming out of LSU. Some of the trials and tribulations he went through, some of the weight gains and losses. At the end of the day, he’s a talented young man, and I think this offseason was different for him. I think his commitment to the organization, and even more importantly the commitment to his talent he had himself, those were both evident, and I think they’re showing up right now.”

Key said he’s seeing the game much more clearly.

“It’s just been different all throughout,” he said. “The speed of the game has slowed down, and I know the defense, so I can play fast and just go.”

Everything is in place for the breakout the organization, fans and, most important, Key have been waiting on.

It’s the chance for a fresh start for a franchise with a new home, one Key already appreciates except for the heat.

‘Vegas is a pretty good city,” he said. “I didn’t realize you can raise a family here and things of that sort. Once you get off the Strip, it’s just really normal and really calm.

“But once you get on the Strip, that’s where everything happens, all the hoo-rah and that stuff.”

In other words, the kind of chaos Key hopes to bring to opposing backfields.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.

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