Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green doesn’t say much publicly.
But when it comes to players who move like Green, what they do say publicly carries heavy weight.
Case in point, Friday: The Bengals announced Green signed his franchise tender, meaning he’ll report to camp and will play out 2020 on his one-year tag.
Green offered a brief, telling statement through the team right after the news dropped, per Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com: “Play another four years and I hope to retire as a Bengal.”
That’s a great thing to hear from a star wideout who hasn’t sounded too enthusiastic about the tag in the past. But reality entered the situation some time ago as team facilities were shut down and it was clear the Bengals wouldn’t get to see enough of Green on the field before the deadline to work out a long-term extension.
To make Friday’s events even sweeter, the Bengals issued a rare statement that reveals how they feel about Green’s future with the team.
Given the statements from both parties, there isn’t a ton of wiggle room to suggest they can’t work out something next offseason. Both Green and the Bengals want to keep a good thing going, preferably beyond the 2020 season.
