Cardinals GM Steve Keim believes A.J. Green still has 'a lot left in the tank'

The former Bengals star receiver will be playing his first season in Arizona

The Arizona Cardinals haven't been shy at bringing in some notable names this offseason. The club initially made waves by signing former Texans defensive end J.J. Watt prior to the start of free agency and the latest veteran addition came in the form of wide receiver A.J. Green. Similar to Watt, Green spent his entire career with one organization before landing in the desert. While the former Bengals legend may not be at the Pro Bowl level like he was earlier in his career, the Cardinals believe the 32-year-old can still bring a ton of talent to the table.

"He's still got a lot left in the tank, in my opinion," said Arizona GM Steve Keim on Monday, via ESPN. "Runs great routes, really strong in traffic. I think he was the third-best receiver in the NFL this past year with catching balls in traffic, and really strong hands, still has the vertical speed, runs crisp routes."

According to Pro Football Focus, Green had the third-most contested catches (19) last season, only trailing DeVante Parker and Allen Robinson so Keim is correct to say that his newest pass-catcher does work well in traffic. However, those contested catches -- while impressive -- may also be a nod to Green failing to separate from his defender more than he was able to in the past. His 1.7 yards of separation per target was tied for the worst among all receivers in 2020, according to Next Gen Stats. 

Again, Green isn't the same player he was when he reached seven consecutive Pro Bowls, but the Cardinals are not banking on that. For the first time in Green's career, he's not looked at as the top pass-catcher in the offense with Arizona boasting DeAndre Hopkins and Christian Kirk. More than ever, Green will likely see less attention from opposing secondaries and more one-on-one opportunities, while defenses are focusing on stopping Hopkins from beating them over the top. 

"I'm very excited about that," Green said of his new role within the Cardinals offense. "Ten years playing in an offense where I'm the focal point to take away every week, coming to this offense having all the other guys … it's going to make my job a lot easier." 

With Green now in the mix on the offensive side of the ball, Watt slotted in along the D-line and Rodney Hudson signed as the starting center, the Cardinals have added a ton of high-quality veteran experience as they look to contend in the NFC West in 2021.