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AJ Green odds: Will 2020 be last season with Cincinnati Bengals for seven-time Pro Bowl receiver?

AJ Green will have to play this season on the franchise tag … and it could be his last with the Bengals.

Wednesday's 4 p.m. ET NFL deadline passed without former All-Pro wide receiver AJ Green and the Cincinnati Bengals agreeing on a long-term extension, which frankly wasn't a surprise as the sides were miles apart. Thus, Green will have to play in 2020 on the franchise tag worth about $18 million. The question is: Will he be in a Bengals uniform after this year? SportsLine NFL oddsmakers favor no.

Green is a seven-time Pro Bowl selection who is arguably the best wideout in franchise history. His 602 receptions, 8,907 yards and 63 touchdowns are all second in Bengals history behind Chad Johnson's 151/10,783/66. Green's average of 80.2 yards per game is best in team history, and he'd likely pass all of Johnson's career numbers if he plays long enough with Cincinnati.

However, there is ZERO chance the Bengals are going to slap the franchise tag on Green again next season and pay him around $20 million. Green will be 32 at the end of this month and clearly is breaking down physically. He sat all of last season with an ankle injury and has been out 23 of the past 24 games overall. Green also missed six games in 2016.

The Bengals are in the midst of a youth movement under second-year head coach Zac Taylor, led by 2020 No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow at quarterback. Cincinnati already has one very good young receiver in Tyler Boyd, who caught 90 passes for 1,046 yards and five TDs last year. He's only 25. The team also took Clemson wideout Tee Higgins with the first pick of the second round of this year's draft.

With Boyd and Higgins on the roster, that would seem to leave little room for Green next year at age 33 and a potentially big salary. More likely, he may choose to sign elsewhere and hope to win a Super Bowl while he can. The Bengals aren't close to that right now. Plus, there are some hard feelings on Green's side over him not getting a long-term extension. 

For what it's worth, Green is a +5000 longer shot on the William Hill moneyline odds to lead the NFL in receiving this year. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2011 draft has never done that. Of the 14 players slapped with the franchise tag in the NFL, only the Titans' Derrick Henry and Chiefs' Chris Jones agreed to long-term deals by Wednesday's deadline.

Via SportsLine NFL oddsmakers: Will this be AJ Green's final season with the Bengals?

  • Yes -180
  • No +150

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Matt Severance
Matt SeveranceSeverance Pays

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