How the Cincinnati Bengals can get it right with A.J. Green
By Steve Rivera
The Cincinnati Bengals have solved the A.J. Green situation for 2020, but for 2020 only. It’s also a smart solution and puts the ball in his court moving forward.
Wide receiver A.J. Green is likely to get the news he both expects and dreads. The Cincinnati Bengals are likely to use the franchise tag for 2020 on the veteran and often injured receiver, guaranteeing he will earn what the upper echelon of NFL receivers earn. The fly in the ointment for Green will be that he will still be without a long term deal with the team who drafted him and where he’s played his entire career.
Going back to the trade deadline last season, this looks to be all but assured. Historically, Cincinnati does not do this well, as the Andrew Whitworth situation will remind fans. However, the Bengals can get this one right. Signing Green to any kind of long term deal would be a mistake. He is a player who can’t stay healthy, hasn’t played much in two seasons, and is on the wrong side of 30. For an organization that hasn’t gotten much correct lately, they look to be this NFL offseason.
But what does this mean for Green and the Bengals should the franchise tag come to pass? He’s already expressed his lack of content for such a decision and has threatened to not participate in offseason drills. For a team that will be breaking in a rookie quarterback, this doesn’t bode well. Joe Burrow will need those reps with the veteran.
A.J. Green said if he is franchise tagged he would definitely not be participating in any of the OTAs and maybe not all of training camp next year.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) December 18, 2019
On TC: "I don't know. It's still a business."
On proving he's healthy in offseason: "I don't have to prove anything to nobody."
This now is where the pendulum would swing back to Green. To be more simple, it would be up to A.J. to earn the extension he wants. And please, don’t talk about what he’s earned. In the NFL, you’re as good and as valuable as your last game. Green will need to stay on the field healthy and productive for 16 games. He will need to have the kind of 2020 that puts the ball back into the court of the Bengals if he’s to have any shot at retiring in Cincinnati.
One last thing about a one year deal, if Green is healthy through eight or so games, but the Bengals are flirting with another sub .500 season or worse, Cincinnati should seriously consider their options at the trade deadline. Green could have provided a decent return last season, and that was with him on the sidelines.
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Credit the Cincinnati Bengals for making some smart decisions as they head heading into free agency and the draft. With the potential of a franchise-changing quarterback on deck and perhaps their best player online for one more season, fans in the Queen City have a lot to look forward to.