10 NFL free agency signings for 2021 that could backfire
By Randy Gurzi
8. A.J. Green, Wide Receiver, Arizona Cardinals
If we were in the year 2015, the Arizona Cardinals would have been the clear-cut winners of the NFL 2021 free agency period. They landed defensive end J.J. Watt as well as wide receiver A.J. Green, who were both taken very early in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Clearly, the Cardinals feel like their 8-8 record in 2020 means they’re on the cusp of something great and they felt a veteran or two was all they needed to get to the next level. And on the surface, it seems as though these moves could indeed push them over the top. But with Green, there’s still a lot of risk involved.
Arizona ended up giving him a $6 million contract which is a lot for a player who really hasn’t put together a great season since 2017. That year, he had 1,078 yards and eight touchdowns but then in 2018, he missed half the season due to a toe injury.
Green then missed all of the 2019 season when he tore a ligament in his ankle. He returned to the Bengals in 2020 when they hit him with the franchise tag and he played in all 16 games but wasn’t overly effective.
The veteran finished with 523 yards and two touchdowns on 47 receptions. Now, he comes to Arizona where he could be taking significant snaps away from some of their young talent at the position.