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As A.J. Green wraps up his most productive season since 2017, there’s been some speculation about whether he’ll be back with the Arizona Cardinals for the 2022 season.
Former Cincinnati Bengals and New England Patriots linebacker Marquis Flowers, who spent three seasons with Green in Cincinnati from 2014 to 2016, is among those interested in the seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver’s future.
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Flowers revealed on Twitter on Wednesday, January 5, that he tried to persuade Green to join the Patriots before quarterback Tom Brady left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
With Green set to become a free agent after this season and Patriots quarterback Mac Jones playing well as a rookie, Flowers also suggested that the two sides revisit that option in the offseason.
Green, 33, signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Cardinals in March, according to Sportrac.
The change of scenery seems to have rejuvenated the 11-year veteran receiver, who has more catches (50) and receiving yards (825) in a season since he finished with 75 catches for 1,078 yards with the Bengals in 2017.
Getting the Most Out of Green
Arizona signed Green during the offseason to complement a receiving corps that already included five-time Pro Bowler DeAndre Hopkins and rising star/hometown favorite Christian Kirk, who hails from Scottsdale, Arizona.
In his first season with the Cardinals, Green leads the team in yards per catch at 16.5, ranks second in receiving yards behind Kirk (939), and is fourth in receptions behind Kirk (75), Zach Ertz (67) and Rondale Moore (54).
Green also has three receiving touchdowns this season and likely would have had a fourth if he hadn’t had to slow down and wait for the ball on a 42-yard catch in Dallas.
On Arizona’s opening drive Sunday, January 2, Green blew past Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs for his longest reception of the season and was brought down at the 3-yard line.
NFC Special Teams Player of the Week Matt Prater later kicked the first of his four field goals in the Cardinals’ eventual 25-22 victory.
Green finished with 74 yards on just three catches in Dallas, and he figures to play an important role as the Cardinals (11-5) close the regular season against the Seahawks (6-10) on Sunday, January 9.
“I expect him to continue to be a heavy part of this offense as we wrap up this season and head into the playoffs,” Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury told reporters on December 31.
Green was among the best receivers in the game before injuries slowed down the former Bengals star. He started his career with seven consecutive Pro Bowl selections, topping 1,000 receiving yards in six of those seasons. The lone exception was a 964-yard season in 2016.
A foot injury sidelined Green for seven games in 2018, and he missed the entire 2019 season after injuring his left ankle in the first practice of training camp. He returned to play all 16 games for the Bengals in 2020, but the 6-foot-4, 210-pound receiver was more of an afterthought in the offense and finished the season with a career-low 523 receiving yards.
Kingsbury said Green has been “outstanding” in his first season in Arizona, while noting the Cardinals could have utilized the star receiver more often.
“I still don’t think we probably maximized him like we could have throughout the season,” he said.
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500,000 Reasons to Shine vs. Seahawks
A big game in the regular-season finale against the Seahawks could also be a profitable performance for Green.
Mark Schofield with USA Today’s Touchdown Wire notes that Green’s one-year deal with the Cardinals included cash incentives of up to $2.5 million for catches and receiving yards.
Hitting the 50-catch mark earned Green a $250,000 bonus, as did topping 600, 700 and 800 receiving yards, meaning he’s already earned $1 million in bonuses this season.
Green stands to make another $500,000 if he manages to catch 10 passes for 75 yards or more against Seattle, Schofield wrote.
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