Former-Cincinnati Bengal and seven-time Pro-Bowler A.J. Green has signed a new contract with the Arizona Cardinals. Green spent 2020 under the Bengals franchise tag and played in all 16 games on the season. He finished the year with 47 receptions, 523 receiving yards, and two touchdowns. 2021 will be Green’s 10th year of NFL action as he turns 33 years old in July.
This deal has been in the works since last night, source said. Expect it to come in around 1 year for $8M. https://t.co/aR0oiJJGNr
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 17, 2021
A.J. Green, Arizona Cardinals, Agree to Contract
Green was selected out of Georgia with the fourth-overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. At Georgia, he led the SEC in receiving yards in 2008 and in receiving touchdowns in 2008 and 2010. His college success carried over to the NFL as Green was effective early and often as a rookie. In his first season as a Pro, Green recorded his first 1,000-yard receiving season, four 100 yard receiving games, and was named to the PFWA All-Rookie team. His 65 receptions and 1,057 receiving yards led all rookies that year.
Green then went on to become one of the best receivers in the NFL over the next decade. He has racked up six 1,000+ yard seasons and three seasons with double-digit touchdowns. Green also recorded the fourth-most receiving yards in a single game during the 2014 season with 224 and the second-most in 2015 with 227. His 9,430 receiving yards rank fifth-overall since 2011 and his 65 touchdowns rank sixth. He currently trails just Chad Johnson in all-time Bengals receiving yards and has the most games with 100+ receiving yards with 33.
While Green is a three-time second-team all-pro player, he is coming off of the worst season of his career in 2020. He lost his 2019 season to an ankle injury suffered in training camp and failed to show his vintage form last year. Green posted career-lows in receptions and receiving yards. His 47 receptions were just one more than his career low of 46 catches in 2018 — a season in which he played just nine games. He will be looking to bounce back with his new team in 2021.
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