It really is a tough spot. AJ has been amazing for this team. When healthy, he's been very productive. He's always been a team player and seems to be a great person. All you can do is hope for the best. I had hoped that when they tagged him that maybe they could reach a short 2-3 year agreement to bring down his cap hit. I would definitely love to see AJ retire as a Bengal. Besides being hit hard with the injury bug, he's everything you want out of a player.

If he does stay healthy and plays this season, I still wouldn't be opposed to bringing him back for another season or two. A player of his talent and ability openly stating multiple times that he wants to spend his entire career with your organization isn't common. Especially when the organization in question is the Cincinnati Bengals. We've watched too many talented players force their way out of town in the Mike Brown Era.

It would be nice to see him practice some. I understand he's supremely talented and knows the playbook, but getting in reps with Burrow would be good for both of them. I don't care if he only practices 3 days a week. He needs to be on the practice field with his teammates. A healthy AJ would be great for us this season, but I won't be surprised if another season is cut short by injuries.

(08-24-2020, 09:39 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: 5 years ago? He was balling out as recently as 2018. 46 rec 694 yds 6 TD in 9 games.

Also, we’ve already tagged him for this season, so regardless how you feel about him moving forward, all we can do is hope for the best this year.

In the past 5 seasons, AJ has missed 29 games.
Missed 6 in 2016, 7 in 2018, and all 16 in 2019.
People are justifiably concerned about AJ being able to remain on the field for 12+ games in a season at this point.

(08-25-2020, 08:23 AM)Sled21 Wrote: It's a freak unprecedented camp with compressed schedules and no pre season. He tweaked a hamstring. Receivers do that (see Tee Higgins and John Ross). He is being held out by Taylor because "why rush him" He'll be ready game one to shut his doubters up.


*Not practicing due to minor injuries:
Joe Mixon
Carl Lawson
Carlos Dunlap
Jordan Evans

But let's bust on AJ.

How many have these guys missed the last year and a half of football?

How many of these guys are the 2nd highest paid player in the entire league at their respective postion?

(08-25-2020, 08:23 AM)Sled21 Wrote: It's a freak unprecedented camp with compressed schedules and no pre season. He tweaked a hamstring. Receivers do that (see Tee Higgins and John Ross). He is being held out by Taylor because "why rush him" He'll be ready game one to shut his doubters up.


*Not practicing due to minor injuries:
Joe Mixon
Carl Lawson
Carlos Dunlap
Jordan Evans

But let's bust on AJ.

This makes sense, but at the same time didn't AJ spend all of 2019 on the sidelines due to a combination of "just  a precaution" and "don't wanna rush him back?"  We are heading into year 2 of the ZT era and I don't think AJ has even practiced in the guy's system, has he?   I think that is why we are singling the guy out as the injury guy because he missed all of 2019's practices and games and he's right back on the rehab field.

Toss in that he's getting up there in age and his 2018 was marred with injury and you have to admit it's hard to take wave off any injury until we see otherwise.

(08-25-2020, 10:20 AM)Hammerstripes Wrote: Makes a ton of sense.  Tag him for one year and make sure you have an elite cast around Burrow so he can settle in to the NFL.

If AJ hadn't missed the last season and a half, then I think that's a solid argument.  However, a huge concern is how many games you're going to get out of him.  The fact that he's already hurt adds to that concern.  Not to mention, what level of play you're going to get out of a 32 year old WR who's been out that long, is adapting to a new offense and a new QB, and is now missing valuable reps in TC.

(08-24-2020, 09:32 PM)kalibengal Wrote: Watching AJ nursing another tweak or injury? I know I will take some heat on this post but here we go again with another yr of ..."will he be ready week after week?" Or ...or please admit your tired of that china doll feeling like everytime he gets hit he will be leaving on a cart. The dude was amazing 5 yrs ago but i'm afraid the wheels are falling off the sports car and i'm just glad they drafted the "nex gen" AJ in Tee Higgs.  Time to usher in the new generation of WRs with Burrow. Its a business and he is pulling in some major $ on his tag yr that could have been used on a few other good FA signings (OT, LB ,TE, G).

Definitely tired of it no question. As much flack as Ross gets, AJ has been more injury prone lately.

Aparrently yesterday he was running full speed making violent cuts. So this is Zac saying I lost him all last season to a freak injury. Let's be extra safe with our star player.

(08-25-2020, 01:42 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Definitely tired of it no question. As much flack as Ross gets, AJ has been more injury prone lately.

One at least has returned on his top 10 selection, while the other has not. That is why Ross tends to get more flack than AJ. When you are 10 years in your body breaks down more and it's usually understood. 

(08-25-2020, 02:36 PM)Bengalfan4life27c Wrote: Aparrently yesterday he was running full speed making violent cuts. So this is Zac saying I lost him all last season to a freak injury. Let's be extra safe with our star player.

Great news.

Just hope he can get on the same page with Burrow if he can stay healthy.

(08-25-2020, 02:39 PM)Au165 Wrote: One at least has returned on his top 10 selection, while the other has not. That is why Ross tends to get more flack than AJ. When you are 10 years in your body breaks down more and it's usually understood. 

True.

(08-25-2020, 02:39 PM)Au165 Wrote: One at least has returned on his top 10 selection, while the other has not. That is why Ross tends to get more flack than AJ. When you are 10 years in your body breaks down more and it's usually understood. 

I don't think it's that.  If AJ was drafted in the 7th, the sentiments would still be the same.  In reality, having a guy that doesn't play making $15-18 mil a year hurts your team a lot more than a guy making $5-6 mil a year just because you have a large chunk of cap space tied up in a player who's not yielding any return.

AJ is an all time Bengals great.  Because of that, we all hope he ages like wine, helps Burrow win a couple of SB's, and ride off into the sunset on his own terms. Ross is nowhere near an all time great.  If this hammy keeps AJ out all year and Ross has a 1000 yard season, there will still be people that want AJ resigned over Ross.  The dream can't become a reality unless AJ is a Bengal.

(08-25-2020, 03:48 PM)Whatever Wrote: I don't think it's that.  If AJ was drafted in the 7th, the sentiments would still be the same.  In reality, having a guy that doesn't play making $15-18 mil a year hurts your team a lot more than a guy making $5-6 mil a year just because you have a large chunk of cap space tied up in a player who's not yielding any return.

AJ is an all time Bengals great.  Because of that, we all hope he ages like wine, helps Burrow win a couple of SB's, and ride off into the sunset on his own terms. Ross is nowhere near an all time great.  If this hammy keeps AJ out all year and Ross has a 1000 yard season, there will still be people that want AJ resigned over Ross.  The dream can't become a reality unless AJ is a Bengal.

No, it really wouldn't. We drafted Robbey Anderson in the 6th and after getting hurt again we cut him and no one blinked an eye...because it was a 6th. To the context of my comment earlier, the reason Ross gets so much crap is because the asset of a top 10 pick being used with little to no tangible return. Players who were taken with assets of less value, later picks, recieve little to flack when they don't pan out.

The money only hurts if it actually took away from others receiving it, which there is no evidence AJ has. Consider for a second that we have not spent more than $8 Million under the cap any year in which AJ has been hurt, and that includes the salaries of all the replacement players we pay for IR guys. Cap space does not equal money that will be spent merely the ceiling for those who want to spend it. Since they weren't up against the cap it is safe to assume if they really wanted to they could have added more help at other positions, but they never seemed inclined to do so.

I believe it's a misconception that an injured AJ deprived us of some other sort of big-time FA. Until this season they had no interest in spending anything close to his salary, or even half his salary, on a player in FA, and even this year I think they wouldn't have spent the money used on a tag on more outside FA's since they had already stepped outside and spent so much as is.

(08-25-2020, 11:29 AM)ochocincos Wrote: In the past 5 seasons, AJ has missed 29 games.
Missed 6 in 2016, 7 in 2018, and all 16 in 2019.
People are justifiably concerned about AJ being able to remain on the field for 12+ games in a season at this point.

Everyone is well aware of how much time he’s missed. But it has not been 5 years since we last saw him playing at a high level. I’m not going to assume the worst as far as his play completely dropping off a cliff. He was still dominating in 2018 at 30 years old.

I was opposed to tagging Green. But now that it is done I am glad they are resting Green instead of playing him in meaningless scrimmage.

Green is not some slacker who is just trying to get out of practice.

(08-25-2020, 05:03 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I was opposed to tagging Green.  But now that it is done I am glad they are resting Green instead of playing him in meaningless scrimmage.

Green is not some slacker who is just trying to get out of practice.

What are you insinuating?

(08-25-2020, 04:00 PM)Au165 Wrote: No, it really wouldn't. We drafted Robbey Anderson in the 6th and after getting hurt again we cut him and no one blinked an eye...because it was a 6th. To the context of my comment earlier, the reason Ross gets so much crap is because the asset of a top 10 pick being used with little to no tangible return. Players who were taken with assets of less value, later picks, recieve little to flack when they don't pan out.

The money only hurts if it actually took away from others receiving it, which there is no evidence AJ has. Consider for a second that we have not spent more than $8 Million under the cap any year in which AJ has been hurt, and that includes the salaries of all the replacement players we pay for IR guys. Cap space does not equal money that will be spent merely the ceiling for those who want to spend it. Since they weren't up against the cap it is safe to assume if they really wanted to they could have added more help at other positions, but they never seemed inclined to do so.

I believe it's a misconception that an injured AJ deprived us of some other sort of big-time FA. Until this season they had no interest in spending anything close to his salary, or even half his salary, on a player in FA, and even this year I think they wouldn't have spent the money used on a tag on more outside FA's since they had already stepped outside and spent so much as is.

TJ was a 7th round pick and there was plenty of doom and gloom when he left.  You can't tell me that if AJ had the exact same career to this point and was a Day 3 pick that people wouldn't react the same.  Nobody cares about when you were drafted once you're on your second contract unless you're Hobspin trying to spin a fluff piece.

We did this same thing chasing Eifert, except the money was nowhere near as high.  When he finally stayed healthy last year, he was nowhere near the same player.  These injuries add up over time and diminish the player.  You need to get out before the guy hits the wall, not keep a death grip on him.

Come on.  The Bengals have spent up to the rollover every year during the previous CBA.  There is absolutely no logical reason to think they wouldn't have done the same without AJ's contract on the books.  They may not have gone out and signed some marquee FA, but it wouldn't take much to give the team more than AJ has the past couple of years. Seriously, you're against giving an in his prime Joe Mixon $10-12 mil a year, but you're good giving a past his prime AJ who hasn't played in a year and a half $18 mil?  

(08-25-2020, 04:38 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Everyone is well aware of how much time he’s missed. But it has not been 5 years since we last saw him playing at a high level. I’m not going to assume the worst as far as his play completely dropping off a cliff. He was still dominating in 2018 at 30 years old.

2018 was two season ending injuries ago.  Both required surgery.  That stuff adds up.  I don't expect him to have completely fallen of a cliff, assuming he does play, but I don't expect an elite level of play out there, either.  I hope he proves me wrong, but he's not off to a good start.

(08-24-2020, 09:32 PM)kalibengal Wrote: Watching AJ nursing another tweak or injury? I know I will take some heat on this post but here we go again with another yr of ..."will he be ready week after week?" Or ...or please admit your tired of that china doll feeling like everytime he gets hit he will be leaving on a cart. The dude was amazing 5 yrs ago but i'm afraid the wheels are falling off the sports car and i'm just glad they drafted the "nex gen" AJ in Tee Higgs.  Time to usher in the new generation of WRs with Burrow. Its a business and he is pulling in some major $ on his tag yr that could have been used on a few other good FA signings (OT, LB ,TE, G).

Due to his highly productive past he's worth the gamble. Players do get past their prime as a nature course of things. It's nothing to be upset about.

Sadly, some players never reach a prime, which is something that can't be said for AJ.

The team brought in Higgins this year, Boyd has had two 1,000 yard seasons in a row (despite how *horrible* his QB was ).

I expect that WR, OT and CB will be targeted in the next draft.

 

https://www.nfl.com/news/jadeveon-clowney-to-raiders-yannick-ngakoue-to-jets-nine-moves-nfl-teams-should-

Adam Scheins 9 moves that need to happen

9) keep AJ Green in bubble wrap until week 1!