AJ Green is making progress in his rehab from ankle surgery and is aiming to return at some point this month, but a scenario could play out in which he does not have many — if any — games remaining with the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Bengals are winless thus far in 2019, and their chances of contending for a playoff spot are quite slim. According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, several NFL teams would be willing to trade a first-round pick for Green, and some executives believe the Bengals will field inquiries for their core players in advance of the Oct. 29 trade deadline.
One team that is expected to call the Bengals about Green is the New England Patriots, La Canfora adds. They could also ask Cincinnati about oft-injured tight end Tyler Eifert.
In addition to having offensive line issues that need to be addressed, the Patriots could use another playmaker. They appeared to have found one when they signed Antonio Brown, but he lasted just 11 days with the team before being released. There was some talk that the Patriots were on the verge of acquiring a star receiver in a trade earlier in the week, though it does not appear that deal is going to happen.
Bengals owner Mike Brown has shown an unwillingness to unload star players in the past, and there’s still a chance he would prefer to sign Green to an extension rather than trade him. The seven-time Pro Bowler is earning 12 million this season in the final year of his current deal.
