THE Cardinals are interested in the Giants‘ Azeez Ojulariand Arizona’s search for a passer didn’t stop there. By Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required), the Cards also reached the Titans to discuss a trade for a defensive end Key of Arden.

(RELATED: Titans Won’t Trade DL Jeffery Simmons)

Key, 28, is under club control through 2025 and is expected to earn a manageable $6.5 million salary next season. So while the 1-6 Titans are obvious sellers at this year’s deadline, they don’t need to move Key if they don’t receive an offer they like.

That said, New York is setting a high price on Ojulariwhich in turn could strengthen Tennessee’s leverage in any negotiation involving Key (although Big Blue is unlikely to fetch more than a Day 3 selection for Ojulari, regardless of any posturing to the contrary). Key, a former third-round pick of the Raiders, struggled to find his place with the Silver and Black, but he established himself as a useful complementary defender by posting 11 sacks and 32 quarterback hits during the 2021-22 seasons, which he split between the 49ers and Jaguars.

He turned this performance into a $21 million contract over three years with the Titans during the 2023 offseason, and he recorded six sacks and 12 QB hits during his first year in Nashville. This year, he has three sacks and six QB hits in seven games, and Pro Football Focus gave him a solid 70.3 pass rushing grade.

The 4-4 Cardinalswho surprisingly find themselves atop a muddy NFC West bracket, have been hit hard by injuries along the defensive line, and GM Monti Ossenfort recently confirmed that he explored offers this could strengthen his club’s pass rush.

At the end of October, Lions head coach Dan Campbell indicated that Detroit could soon make a move to address his EDGE body, which lost both Aidan Hutchinson And Marcus Davenport for the season. Armando Salguero of Outkick.com named Key as an “outside possibility” for the Lions, although Key’s performance in Tennessee’s recent loss to Detroit – two sacks and six total tackles – could have caught Campbell & Co’s attention.

The Lions have already been connected At Browns‘ Za’Darius Smithand Russini and ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirm that Detroit did indeed register Smith. Salguero, for his part, names the Panthers‘ Jadeveon Clowney and the Saints‘ Chase away the young as other possible targets for the Lions.