The Cincinnati Bengals have some tough decisions to make ahead of the NFL’s October 29th trade deadline.
One of those decisions might pertain to A.J. Green — though Dre Kirkpatrick has warned the Bengals against trading the star receiver.
Either way, Green is a veteran nearing the end of his deal who has had problems staying healthy and may or may not be ready for Week 7. So, Green comes up a lot in trade ideas right now.
One comes from Bill Barnwell of ESPN, who proposed the Bengals ship Green to the San Francisco 49ers:
49ers Trade:
2020 1st-round pick
2021 second-round pick
Bengals Trade:
A.J. Green
2020 2nd-round pick
The idea makes all sorts of sense for the 49ers. They need another elite pass-catcher besides George Kittle and are suddenly surefire contenders. And the front office there hasn’t been shy lately about pulling off a blockbuster (Dee Ford).
But…maybe not so much for the Bengals. Coughing up a second-round pick in the deal is almost like giving away a first considering how high that pick could end up after an 0-5 start.
One could argue getting any sort of future first-rounder for Green at this stage is great. They clear the cap that would have gone to an extension and have another high-quality building block.
But the counter is simple too — the 49ers won’t be the only team willing to give up assets to get Green by the end of the month.
Expect the Bengals to at least field calls this month. Monster extensions doled out to Julio Jones and others and Green’s health make it clear common ground hasn’t been established between the two sides. If the team keeps losing and this sort of offer comes down the pipes, how the front office reacts will say everything about the direction.
