Cincinnati Bengals: Should give A.J. Green contract extension

By Nick Ziegler | Mar 3, 2015

The Cincinnati Bengals had yet another successful regular season in 2014. However, they were unable to find success in the postseason yet again after a loss to the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the playoffs.

Like most teams in the NFL right now, the Bengals have been busy with roster moves to create cap space to try and improve their teams through free agency. The Bengals are no different,and have become one of the better situated teams in the NFL with salary cap space.

Cincinnati will be to looking to upgrade their defense surely in free agency, as it took a big step back last season. The Bengals currently have about $40 million to spend, which can surely land them some nice players, but some of that money should be used to give wide receiver A.J. Green a much-deserved contract extension.

Green was drafted by the Bengals fourth overall from Georgia in the 2011 NFL Draf, and has been a play-maker for the Bengals ever since. In every year since Green was drafted, the Bengals have made the playoffs and that is no coincidence.

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As a rookie in 2011, Green was named to the Pro Bowl after 65 receptions, 1,057 yards, and seven touchdowns. Green showed his big-play capability that season, averaging a career-high 16.3 yards per catch.

In his sophomore year, Green would avoid any kind of slump with another Pro Bowl season. In a full 16-game season, Green would have 97 receptions, 1,350 yards and 11 touchdowns. In his third season in the NFL, Green continued to improve with 98 catches, 1,426 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The most eye-popping stats for Green was how much he was targeted by quarterback Andy Dalton his second and third seasons in the league. In 2012, Green was targeted 164 times and then in 2013 he was targeted 178 times.

Last season was a frustrating one for Green, as injuries derailed his season, causing him to miss three games, and be very limited in a few others. Despite the injuries, Green was still able to have 69 receptions, 1,041 yards, and six touchdowns in the injury-plagued year. It just goes to show how great Green is.

Dalton was drafted in the same year with Green, and the success of Dalton certainly has a lot to do with having a true No. 1 receiver in Green with him. Dalton had the worst season of his career last year, as with Green slowed down it clearly effected Dalton’s game. In 2014, Dalton threw 19 touchdown passes to 17 interceptions – the worst ratio of his career.

Jan 4, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) drops back to pass against the Indianapolis Colts in the first half in the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Previous to the start of last season, Dalton was paid handsomely by the Bengals, and now the time should come for them to do the same with Green. After the 2015 season, Green will become a free agent. But with the cap space the Bengals have this offseason they shouldn’t let him get close to free agency. A contract extension for Green won’t be cheap for the Bengals as Green will warrant north of $10 million per season.

In his first four seasons in the NFL, Green has proven that he is an elite wide receiver and the Bengals would be wise to make a long-term commitment to Green this offseason.

Next: What were Andy Dalton's 5 worst games last season?

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