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How realistic is Bengals extending A.J. Green?


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How realistic is Bengals extending A.J. Green?
1399644758000-pdehner.jpg Paul Dehner Jr., pdehnerjr@enquirer.com 7:55 p.m. EDT May 23, 2015
 
Taking a deeper dive into the challenging logistics of the Bengals completing a contract extension with top receiver A.J. Green.
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(Photo: Jeff Swinger, The Cincinnati Enquirer)

 

 

The Bengals want to sign A.J. Green to a contract extension. Green would like to sign a contract extension. This much can be agreed upon surrounding what would be the largest financial investment in the team's near future.

As for a way to make both sides happy, well, that won't be so simple. Or cheap.

Both sides spoke in February at the Combine, according to Green, but the former fourth overall draft pick made his feelings clear in April when he admitting he's "in no rush."

"I'm not hurting for money," he said. "I got my option. That's enough for now."

His option would be the $10.2 million fifth-year option exercised as part of his rookie contract. It makes him the largest cap hit on this season's team.

Patience could prove profitable considering the current instability atop the receiver market. Two contracts left a large gap in the market in recent years which has gone unfilled. Calvin Johnson stands as the highest-paid receiver in the NFL at $16.2 million per season, with $48.8 million guaranteed. Mike Wallace left Pittsburgh in 2013 to land a contract averaging $12 million over five years and $27 million guaranteed in Miami. He was recently traded to the Vikings.

Since then, four receivers rose to the top of the game and now all sit at a crossroads waiting for each other to sign and set what will be the new market for top receivers.

Denver's Demaryius Thomas, Dallas' Dez Bryant and Atlanta's Julio Jones are all also in negotiations for extensions with their current clubs. Thomas and Bryant were given the franchise tag while Green and Jones will be eligible for that designation next season.

None are expected to approach Johnson money, but whoever agrees first likely will be leapfrogged by the other three as agents use one contract to set the floor for another.

 

 

The remainder of this article can be read at: http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2015/05/23/how-realistic-is-bengals-extending-aj-green/27801885/

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How realistic is winning a Super Bowl without him?

One of the newest fads among homerism is to excuse the recent playoff loss due to missing players like AJ Green.

 

You're such a cool non-homer. I'm happy for you. 

 

Bengals almost definitely would have lost to the Colts even with Green, but his absence certainly didn't help matters. Especially with Jones, Eifert, Gresham and Wright out as well. Not many teams would win on the road against a quality opponent like Indy without their top 2 WRs and top 2 TEs. If acknowledging that fact makes me a "homer" in your delusions, so be it.

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No hurry.
 
Bengals will let other teams set the market first.
 
Not dissing the guy but Green still hasn't proven he's worth the type of contract he'll be seeking.

Really ?
AJ Green will be worth whatever any NFL team is willing to pay him. Take Green away from this franchise and you will realize what he was worth.
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Green isn't going anywhere. He's certainly a top 10, probably a top 5 receiver so it makes sense to tag him if a contract extension isn't reached this offseason. The WR tag number for 2016 will probably be around 14 mil which is in line with his market value. He'd probably get a slightly lower average on a long term deal since it provides security and more money up front. So a 12-13 mil average on a long term deal.

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Really ? AJ Green will be worth whatever any NFL team is willing to pay him.

 

No, Green will be worth whatever NFL teams are willing to pay comparable players.

 

Bengals will allow those teams to set the market for Green and will use the franchise tag if no agreement can be reached.

 

 

 Take Green away from this franchise and you will realize what he was worth.

 

Bengals don't have to worry about Green leaving for the next two seasons...so why are you worrying now?

 

Green says he wants to stay and he desires a contract extension but said in April he wants to see how the market shakes out.

 

In short, no hurry.

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Think the mistake ppl make is thinking there are no comparable players. He's not Megatron.


I agree he is not on the level of Calvin Johnson, but he is better than Mike Wallace. That's a problem when Mike Brown has never paid the $27 million in guaranteed money Wallace got 2 years ago. Plus, Julio, Dez, and Demaryius will all probably sign long-term deals with more guaranteed money than that. The ownership will have to step up in a big way to make a deal happen.
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No, Green will be worth whatever NFL teams are willing to pay comparable players.
 
Bengals will allow those teams to set the market for Green and will use the franchise tag if no agreement can be reached.
 
 
 
Bengals don't have to worry about Green leaving for the next two seasons...so why are you worrying now?
 
Green says he wants to stay and he desires a contract extension but said in April he wants to see how the market shakes out.
 
In short, no hurry.


I didn't ask the question or start the thread ? My point is he deserves what he will get.
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They haven't sat cap room aside and front loaded contracts to not resign their own players in future years. To allow the best player of that group to walk away without compensation would be a huge cluster fuck.

It will get done and if it doesn't you can conclude one of two things they don't give a fuck about winning a championship or are incompetent to execute the plan they feel is the best way.

Think about it:

Why the hell would you draft a WR before other proven top players at other positions. Then watch that player become so GREAT that the only negative thing people can say is "well he isn't Megatron", lol. Then sit on the sidelines every year in Free Agency to reserve cap room for future extensions then just let him walk?

It would be an epic cluster fuck.
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The last "elite" WR to win a superbowl ring was...who?  Jerry Rice?  Maybe there have been others, but it doesn't happen that often.

 

I like AJ as much as any Bengal fan, and would love to see him continue his career here.

 

But...generically speaking, it probably doesn't make sense to tie high $'s into one guy at that position.  The payoff usually isn't there.

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I'd rather have an elite QB than an elite WR. But since we don't have an elite QB, let's keep our elite WR. Larry Fitzgerald and Randy Moss are elite WRs who took their teams to the Superbowl (with help from elite QBs). Their teams lost 4th quarter leads when the opponents made great catches. 

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The last "elite" WR to win a superbowl ring was...who?  Jerry Rice?  Maybe there have been others, but it doesn't happen that often.
 
I like AJ as much as any Bengal fan, and would love to see him continue his career here.
 
But...generically speaking, it probably doesn't make sense to tie high $'s into one guy at that position.  The payoff usually isn't there.

Eh this is kind of a "smoke and mirrors" point. So we are going to base an argument about signing AJ Green on who we determine is an "elite" WR?

There are plenty of recent Superbowl champions that had monster years from WR. Cruz, Jennings, Wayne, Harrison. Some WRs lost in the Superbowl recently like Thomas, Moss, Fitz.

AJ Green is going to get paid because he has proven from day 1 that he can be reasonably be expected to produce those type of seasons that produce winning football and make teammates better.

So the other option, is to gamble in the name of saving cap room and find the guy that can produce that season in the year you need it? OK. Reference point above, they've operated the past offseasons saving that cap room.

I don't think it's proven that you have to have a top WR to win a Superbowl, but there are multiple recent Champions and Runner Ups that have had guys put up 1,200, 1,300, 1,400 and 1,500 yard seasons.
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Bengals have subscribed to drafting and signing their own and filling in with 3rd tier FAs. Much like J. Joe leaving, AJ Green leaving would require a lot of additional effort and good fortune to fill the hole.

Look at all the resources they expended to successfully fill J.Joe's spot once leaving. The arguement of not putting high $$ in to WRs doesn't play out because ultimately you are going to need a guy that can dictate coverage and produce.

You can even see a smaller example in TJ Housh leaving. That was the start of the decline of Carson. Then you are throwing money at Coles, Bryant, TO and then eventually drafting Green with the 4 pick. For what? Because no other WR is Jerry Rice and since no other WR is Jerry Rice then we can confidently say that you don't need WR to win championship.

You need to keep top players or get compensated if they leave more than compensatory picks.
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AJ wont say it but he rather be elsewhere. I know in one of his locker interviews he said the opposite but I don't think he was really being honest.


Read your post again and you might see how it makes no sense.

One thing I'm sure AJ loves here is the small market media. He's a quiet reserved guy don't think he'd like all the cameras and microphones in his face in a big market.
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