Report: Bengals will place franchise tag on A.J. Green

The Cincinnati Bengals are not about to let an all-time great test the free-agent waters later this month.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Cincinnati will place the dreaded franchise tag on seven-time Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Green.

The Bengals currently plan to franchise tag wide receiver A.J. Green, as they want him in Cincinnati in 2020 either through the tag or a longer deal, sources told @DanGrazianoESPN and me. A good selling point for the team's No. 1 pick.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 1, 2020

Green, 31, missed all of last season with an ankle injury and has played in a grand total of nine games since the end of the 2017 season.

Despite this, Cincinnati is more than willing to pay Green north of $18 million under the franchise tag next season. It’s an interesting strategy for a team that finished last season with the worst record in the NFL.