Cincinnati Bengals putting A.J. Green on franchise tag best for everyone
A.J. Green is set to his 2020 NFL free agency but the Cincinnati Bengals hitting him with the franchise tag would be best for all parties involved.
One of the names that has been floated around for NFL teams in need of a wide receiver in free agency in the 2020 offseason is veteran A.J. Green. And despite coming off of a 2019 campaign where he didn’t touch the field, there’s no questioning why that’s the case. When healthy, Green has consistently performed as one of the best receivers in the league.
Yet, if the Cincinnati Bengals are smart, Green won’t hit the market at all. Head coach Zac Taylor has already expressed that he wants to keep the 31-year-old pass-catcher in Cincinnati, going as far as to say that he expects him to be on the roster in 2020. And there’s an easy way to do so. The Bengals should slap Green with the franchise tag before free agency gets underway.
Tagging Green simply makes the most sense for both the veteran wideout and the Bengals. In the case of the player, Green’s value on the open market has been severely diminished by his health over the past two years. He’s played in just nine games over two seasons, leaving him in a position where, even at his age, he’s not going to sign the deal that he would surely like to.
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As he looks for what could be the final big-money deal of his career, Green would be wise to take a profitable prove-it deal on the franchise tag with the Bengals. Not only will he get good money but he would also have the chance to stay healthy, play well and then open up the door for one more long-ish contract either with Cincinnati or elsewhere.
In the case of the Bengals, they are expected to take LSU quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. And while they have some receiving talent in Tyler Boyd and, if he’s healthy, former first-round pick John Ross, having a true No. 1 caliber player like Green is a different story.
Green’s presence would drastically help Burrow acclimate to the NFL, making life easier for him as a passer getting used to the professional game. And considering the investment that the Bengals assumedly will be making in Burrow, they should be looking to do everything in their power to put him in the best position.
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When you look at the state of the Cincinnati Bengals and this point of Green’s career, the franchise tag has to be appealing to both parties. And from the outside looking in, it should well be the best option for the player and team as well.