49ers DE Arden Key takes shot at his former team: ‘I was trying to get out’

49ers defensive end Arden Key is putting together a nice training camp according to accounts from Santa Clara. The former Raiders third-round pick struggled in his three seasons with the club before they released him this offseason. Key on Sunday didn’t mince words when asked about leaving his former team.

“I wasn’t totally surprised, to be honest,” Key said. “I wanted to get out of there. I’d been wanting to get out of there. So, I wasn’t surprised. I was more happy than surprised. I wish it happened a little earlier, but hey, I got what I wanted. So, I’m good.”

Key played 37 games for the Raiders with 10 starts – all coming in his rookie season after he was taken No. 87 overall out of LSU. The former college star was projected to be a first-round pick before some off-field issues cropped up during his final college season. That combined with a dip in production cratered his draft stock.

He only had 1.0 sacks in his first season, and 2.0 his second year. Last season he had none in 14 games.

“It was just bad all around for me,” Key said. “Bad system. It just wasn’t the right fit for me and I had to get out.”

The 49ers are hoping to tap into some of the potential that once made him a first-round talent, and he’s parlaying some extra reps in camp into a real push for a roster spot at a position where San Francisco is lacking in quality depth.

In his career Key has 49 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks and 26 QB hits.