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3 NFL teams that should be trying to trade for A.J. Green

By Cody Williams

GLENDALE, AZ - NOVEMBER 22: Wide receiver A.J. Green #18 of the Cincinnati Bengals reacts to an out of bounds catch late in the fourth quarter of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on November 22, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - NOVEMBER 22: Wide receiver A.J. Green #18 of the Cincinnati Bengals reacts to an out of bounds catch late in the fourth quarter of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on November 22, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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The Cincinnati Bengals could be starting a new era and that could mean starting fresh, so which NFL teams should be trying to trade for A.J. Green?

This offseason, the Cincinnati Bengals started a new era on the sidelines with Marvin Lewis out and Zac Taylor in at head coach. However, the changes aren’t likely to stop there. There have been rumblings throughout the offseason that Cincinnati could be eyeing a quarterback to usurp Andy Dalton in the 2019 NFL Draft, where they have the No. 11 pick. But could moving on from A.J. Green be part of the equation as well?

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk recently reported that Green wants a large amount of guaranteed money as he enters the final year of his deal with the Bengals. At 30 years old, however, that could be an investment that a team starting to head in a new direction could want to avoid and just start completely fresh. Given that, they could be willing to trade the wide receiver.

Trading A.J. Green may sound unheard of, but in an offseason when both Antonio Brown and Odell Beckham Jr. have been dealt, is it really that crazy of an idea? Especially when the Bengals could get compensation in return rather than just lose him for a comp pick in the near future? It makes sense as to why Cincinnati would be interested in a deal if the price was right.

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With that in mind, let’s look at three teams who should be looking to name that right price and trade for A.J. Green.

Buffalo Bills

After trading up to take quarterback Josh Allen in the 2018 NFL Draft, the focus on the 2019 offseason seemed to everyone to be that the Buffalo Bills would now get him viable help at wide receiver. They tried to do just that by trading for Antonio Brown, but the receiver essentially said “I’m not doing that” and the trade was nixed. Though they signed John Brown and Cole Beasley, they still lack a No. 1 wide receiver.

Obviously, Green could be that for them. Though the Bengals wideout likely has championship aspirations and the Bills may be well away from that, Green would theoretically get them closer to that. What’s more, the Bills are clearly invested in Allen and giving him a chance to succeed. Adding Green as a viable weapon on the outside would further that investment, and Buffalo may be willing to pay heavily to make that happen.

Kansas City Chiefs

At this point, everyone is aware of the current situation with Kansas City Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill and the uncertainty that brings to one of the best offenses in football. Moreover, with Sammy Watkins’ returns in Year 1 with the Chiefs looking less than stellar, a team with a championship window open now that Patrick Mahomes has the reins of the offense could look to make a splash and immediately upgrade.

Green is obviously not the same player as Hill, but he is a receiver that would give Mahomes a go-to weapon whether or not Hill is on the field. Again, Green has been perpetually under-appreciated throughout his time with the Bengals, but he can truly do it all on the outside and win in almost any situation. Pairing him with Mahomes and Andy Reid could be magic in terms of offensive explosion — if the Chiefs weren’t already doing that enough.

San Francisco 49ers

Recently, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch stated that he tried to negotiate a trade with the Giants for Odell Beckham Jr., though talks fell apart and OBJ was eventually sent to the Browns. While that deal didn’t work out, it does show that San Francisco’s brass does recognize the need to get Jimmy Garoppolo upgrades around him at wide receiver, which A.J. Green would undoubtedly be.

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The Beckham talks largely fell through because the 49ers were unwilling to part with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, which it stands to reason that they wouldn’t be willing to do here as well. However, Green is ultimately in control of his fate in Cincinnati, so the Niners might not have to give up as rich of a deal to get the receiver away from the Bengals. And if there’s any chance of that happening, they should jump at the opportunity.

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