5 Las Vegas Raiders who are on the hot seat entering the 2020 season
By Evan Groat
Arden Key
Arden Key is the first of three members of the 2018 draft class to make the list. Luckily for Key, he has a couple of things working in his favor heading into the 2020 NFL season. One, he is entering the third year of his rookie deal with a contract that is very team friendly, and two, he is still only 24-years old and has a high upside.
Those are good things, but the issue for Key going forward will be finding snaps should he not put it together in year three. Maxx Crosby and Clelin Ferrell are your starting defensive ends, and it looks like Carl Nassib steps in as your first option off the bench after the team spent good money on him this offseason.
Think about this for a moment. After selecting Key in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the Raiders have used draft picks on two other pass rushers, and added one this year in free agency. To me that tells you all you need to know.
If Key does not rise to the occasion in 2020, he could get lost in the shuffle, and find himself picking splinters on the bench. In 23 games, Key has only three sacks to show for himself, and even prior to his injury last season, Gruden was saying the team needed to get more out of him.