The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t strangers to a big trade lately.
Not too long ago, the normally conservative front office pulled off what could be considered a blockbuster by their standards, trading for left tackle Cordy Glenn.
With big names like A.J. Green and Tyler Boyd entering contract years, would the Bengals make another big move if negotiations fell through?
For The Win’s Henry McKenna could see the Bengals shipping Green to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for star cornerback Patrick Peterson:
The Bengals had one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL, so they add Peterson, who has two years left on his deal. The Cardinals don’t take a financial hit, because all of Peterson’s cap hit is salary, which would transfer to Arizona. Peterson would immediately become Cincinnati’s No. 1 cornerback and return specialist.
Green has made it clear he wants to be back. Usually quiet owner Mike Brown has said an extension will get done, though reading between the lines, they’re probably waiting on Julio Jones’ deal like last time.
For a trade like this to come to fruition, things would really have to fall apart on these fronts. But if the Bengals went into panic mode, Patrick Peterson is certainly the sort of return they could expect to receive in exchange for one of the game’s top weapons.
Peterson is still only 28 years old (he’ll turn 29 in July), though he is suspended for the first six games of this season. He’d make an incredible pairing with William Jackson, but that would leave Dre Kirkpatrick’s big contract up in the air.
Presumably, an extension for Green will get done before or during training camp. Until then, trade ideas are bound to keep popping up during the slow portion of the offseason.
