Veteran linebacker AJ Green, one of the most prolific players in franchise history in 10 years with the Cincinnati Bengals, is finalizing a one-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals worth up to $ 8.5 million, a source said for Adam Schefter of ESPN on Wednesday. .
The deal includes $ 6 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN.
Green, who will turn 33 at the start of next season, will fill a WR2 hole so necessary for the Cardinals and will be the complementary piece of DeAndre Hopkins the team was looking for. Green has the most reception yards in the last 10 years, while Hopkins is third.
If Larry Fitzgerald returns for the 2021 season, Arizona could include three future Hall of Fame receivers on its roster.
Hopkins essentially led Arizona’s passing game in 2020, leading the team with 1,407 receiving yards; the next most productive receiver was Christian Kirk, with 621 meters.
Green will offer third-year quarterback Kyler Murray another downside threat, probably on the opposite side of Hopkins.
Arizona ran the most three-width receiver sets last season, accounting for 44.9% of its games. Sets with two receivers accounted for 29.8% of games and played sets with four receivers for 20.3% of games.
Green’s contributions to the Bengals have dropped significantly in recent seasons due to numerous injuries and apparent frustrations with his offensive role.
He finished last season second in the history of the Bengals franchise in career receiving yards (9,430), second in touchdown (65) and second in total receptions (649). Green also holds the team record for most consecutive 100-yard receiving games (five, 2013).
Most of Green’s totals, however, came in the first five years of his career. Since the 2016 season, the former Georgia notable has struggled with numerous injuries. Since then, he has missed 29 games, including the entire 2019 season, after suffering an ankle injury in his first pre-season practice.
Green played all 16 games in 2020, but had a career total in one season of 47 catches for 523 yards and two touchdowns. He caught 43.9% of his goals, according to ESPN Stats & Information, the lowest of Bengals’ qualified recipients last season.
He was frustrated at times last season. In Week 5 in Baltimore, Green was asked about a secondary exchange in which he appeared to indicate that if the Bengals did not want to use it, they should change it. Green downplayed the interaction in subsequent interviews.
The seven-time Pro Bowl team played the 2020 season on a one-year franchise worth $ 18.2 million, after the two sides failed to reach a long-term deal during the season.
ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss and Ben Baby contributed to this report.