A.J. Green to Pats? Bengals WR appears to want out of Cincy originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
A.J. Green has enjoyed seven Pro Bowl seasons in his nine years with the Bengals, but his time in Cincinnati may be coming to an unceremonious end.
The veteran wide receiver's comeback from an ankle surgery that kept him sidelined for all of 2019 has been uninspiring. Through five games this season, Green has only 14 catches on 34 targets for 119 yards and zero touchdowns.
Things didn't get any better Sunday during the Bengals' 27-3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Green appeared to mouth “just trade me” while sitting on the bench as his struggles continued.
If Green indeed wants out of Cincinnati, it won't be easy for the Bengals to grant his wish. Not only has the 32-year-old underperformed, but he also is owed $18.1 million this year after being franchise-tagged.
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Still, there are a number of teams that could use another quality wideout. One of those teams is the New England Patriots, who currently have Julian Edelman, N'Keal Harry, Damiere Byrd, Jakobi Meyers, and Gunner Olszewski on the WR depth chart. If Green can return to form as a legitimate No. 1 option -- and that seems like a big if at this point -- he could add an entirely new dimension to the Patriots' Cam Newton-led offense.
Will Belichick want to gamble on an aging receiver a year after dealing a third-round draft pick for Mohamed Sanu? It's unlikely, but Belichick has taught us time and time again to expect the unexpected. The NFL's trade deadline is Nov. 3, so there certainly will be plenty of speculation until then.
