Veteran receiver AJ Green, one of the most prolific players in franchise history during his ten years with the Cincinnati Bengals, is finalizing a one-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals worth up to $ 8.5 million. dollars, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday. .
The deal includes $ 6 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN.
Green, who will turn 33 early next season, will fill a much-needed WR2 hole for the Cardinals and will be the complementary piece to DeAndre Hopkins the team was looking for. Green has the largest number of yards in ten years, while Hopkins is third.
If Larry Fitzgerald returns for the 2021 season, Arizona may include three future Hall of Fame recipients on its roster.
Hopkins basically led the Arizona passing game in 2020, leading the team with 1,407 receiving yards; the next most productive receiver was Christian Kirk with 621 yards.
Green will give third-year quarterback Kyler Murray another total threat, probably on the opposite side of Hopkins field.
Arizona ran the highest number of three-season receiver sets last season, with 44.9% of its plays. Two-receiver sets accounted for 29.8% of plays and four-receiver sets accounted for 20.3% of plays.
Green’s contributions to the Bengals have dropped significantly in recent seasons due to numerous injuries and apparent frustrations over his role in the offense.
He finished last season in second place in the history of the Bengals franchise in career receiving yards (9,430), second in touchdowns (65) and second in total receptions (649). Green also holds the team record for most consecutive 100-yard reception games (five, 2013).
The bulk of Green’s totals, however, came during the first five years of his career. As of the 2016 season, the former Georgia forward struggled with numerous injuries. As of that moment, he missed 29 games, including the entire 2019 season after suffering an ankle injury in his first preseason practice.
Green played all 16 games in 2020, but had a career-high total in a single season of 47 catches over 523 yards and two touchdowns. He achieved 43.9% of his goals, according to ESPN Stats & Information, the lowest of all Bengals receivers ranked last season.
Last season he felt frustrated at times. In Week 5 in Baltimore, Green was asked about a side exchange in which he seemed to indicate that if the Bengals didn’t want to use him, they would have to change him. Green downplayed the interaction in subsequent interviews.
The Pro Bowl team, which has been played seven times in the 2020 season, won the one-year franchise worth $ 18.2 million, after the two sides failed to reach a long-term deal during the offseason. .
ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss and Ben Baby contributed to this report.