Dre Kirkpatrick: Bengals better not trade A.J. Green

[THE PISTONS]

Wide receiver A.J. Green remained out with an ankle injury as the Bengals fell to the Cardinals at home on Sunday afternoon and the latest Bengals loss was preceded by a report that teams have been calling the Bengals about potentially trading for Green.

Green has said that he’d like to spend his whole career with the Bengals, but he’s a free agent after the season and the team’s got a lot of building to do in the coming years. Trading Green would bring in assets to support that process, but cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick warned that such a move would have a negative impact on the team as well.

“It better not happen. It’s going to fall apart if you do that,” Kirkpatrick said, via the team’s website. “That’s our best player on the team. He’s not even out there. We don’t know how the team really should look. They can’t do that. I’m a team player first. I rally around my guys. That would really hurt my spirit if he walked out this door . . . I want everybody to stay. I want to win here. I don’t want to go anywhere. I’m not just a player for the Bengals. I do things in the community. A lot of guys in here do.”

If the Bengals want to fully tear things down and teams make strong offers for Green’s services, Kirkpatrick’s plea may not carry much water in what’s quickly becoming a lost season in Cincinnati.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/10/07/dre-kirkpatrick-bengals-better-not-trade-a-j-green/

[*Nately120*]

I'm sure he didn't mean it as a joke/insult, but Dre saying the best player on our a team is a guy who hasn't even taken a single snap says it all, really.

[WeezyBengal]

I give Zack Taylor credit - he has legitimately brainwashed these guys into thinking they are a "good" team and only a "player" away.

[I_C_DeadPeople]

Memo to Dre: worry about your own play first.

[Au165]

He can say it would "come apart" but it really already has. The players never want to admit their window has closed, but it appears it has here. Now with that said it does seem like Dre and the guys like it here in the city as he cites his organization here and the community which is a good thing. The reality though is this team needs to be sold for parts. In today's NFL you can turn a team around in two years, but you have to go all in to do so.

Moving AJ/Eiffert/Geno and Carlos before the deadline and then moving Andy after the season is how you get back into contention quickly. If someone wows you for William Jackson you consider that move as well because of what he will be paid next year and knowing you are two years in on that contract before your competitive. I would guess we see Finley get snaps after we get back from England coming off a bye week, which is what you should do to see how he fits in our future going forward.

[Catmandude123]

Dre played a decent game yesterday but if some team wanted AJ they should give them Dre for a cold hamburger and a coke.

[RunKijanaRun]

Dre isn't the most...cerebral player out there, and he's not the best corner in the league, but credit where it's due - that guy plays hard every game and he truly wants to win. I've always appreciated that about him.

[THE PISTONS]

(10-07-2019, 10:30 AM)Au165 Wrote: He can say it would "come apart" but it really already has. The players never want to admit their window has closed, but it appears it has here. Now with that said it does seem like Dre and the guys like it here in the city as he cites his organization here and the community which is a good thing. The reality though is this team needs to be sold for parts. In today's NFL you can turn a team around in two years, but you have to go all in to do so.

Moving AJ/Eiffert/Geno and Carlos before the deadline and then moving Andy after the season is how you get back into contention quickly. If someone wows you for William Jackson you consider that move as well because of what he will be paid next year and knowing you are two years in on that contract before your competitive. I would guess we see Finley get snaps after we get back from England coming off a bye week, which is what you should do to see how he fits in our future going forward.

The window closed here 3/4 years ago when we lost a bunch of players to free agency 2 years in a row.

But, what a glorious window it was! Model Model! We rolled over cap space so we didn't have to sacrifice our future too!

[guyofthetiger]

Since when has Dre been working for the front office? They need to trade Green and get something. I would be surprised if Green takes a snap the rest of the season with the Bengals. He'll want to enter free agency healthy IMO.

[Au165]

(10-07-2019, 11:02 AM)guyofthetiger Wrote: Since when has Dre been working for the front office? They need to trade Green and get something. I would be surprised if Green takes a snap the rest of the season with the Bengals. He'll want to enter free agency healthy IMO.

I don't think that is AJ though, if he can play he would play. He has always kind of been a different dude. He actually said if they ever tried shutting him down again when he was healthy like they did a couple years ago he'd go off.

[*bengalfan74*]

The Bengals need to trade basically all of them.

[Nati#1]

Yeah I dont think we should trade him either. He is a huge bright spot I this team and a top 3 receiver in the league when healthy. He'll be back. We should NOT trade him. He is one of those receivers who only come around every 10 years or so.. Randy Moss like talent..... I'd trade Andy though. We need to move on from him anyways and not pay him 100 million next year ..man I can't believe we're paying him that now! As cheap as mike brown is why would you pay a mediocre guy that much?

[PDub80]

(10-07-2019, 11:42 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: The Bengals need to trade basically all of them.

I actually agree with this. They cannot just trade one piece. They need to change the roster and get the guys out who have been there a while. If not, they will risk having malcontents and get no effort - setting a terrible example. Not only that, but we've seen what they are with this group... 0-5. They will soon be 0-8 baring a major miracle. Why not go 0-8 while developing guys for the future? The future is NOT coming sooner by sitting behind Atkins, Dunlap, Green, Kirkpatrick, and Dalton.

Besides, axing a bunch of them will spark competition and effort in a positive way. I think the guys who've gotten paid have really stopped improving.

[Catmandude123]

(10-07-2019, 11:31 AM)Au165 Wrote: I don't think that is AJ though, if he can play he would play. He has always kind of been a different dude. He actually said if they ever tried shutting him down again when he was healthy like they did a couple years ago he'd go off.

The Bengals not singing him to an extension in the off season puts him in the unenviable position of playing and if he is reinjured he will lose millions. If he comes back and just tries to coast to the end of the season he still loses money. They can offer him a new deal now or let him walk. His agent has probably already told him that you don't reveal your cards in the middle of the game. Who any of you if you were him ?

[*Nately120*]

Let him sit on the sideline all year and then let him walk in FA and get a comp pick.

[Aquapod770]

Can we cut Kirkpatrick instead?

[I_C_DeadPeople]

(10-07-2019, 10:50 AM)RunKijanaRun Wrote: Dre isn't the most...cerebral player out there, and he's not the best corner in the league, but credit where it's due - that guy plays hard every game and he truly wants to win. I've always appreciated that about him.

Ah yes, he tries hard which is why we overpay him so much. 

[HarleyDog]

As much as I would hate to see him go, at this point it's a no brainer to trade him. Besides, it's hard to tell how healthy he will be in the future. He's missed games the last few years and could get worse going forward. Take the trade offers and run with it.

[NATI BENGALS]

So what does it look like when an 0-5 team falls apart? That threat really doesnt scare me.

Dre acted like he hurt his wittle hand twice yesterday going for strips. In one of those attempts he didnt even bother to tackle.

He got burnt by a rookie wr last week and a couple times yesterday. He is a major reason outside runs to his side are so successfull. He can barely tackle.

I used to defend Dre and applauded the contract extension. I was wrong. I would eat some of his contract if we could somehow manage to get a draft pick for trading him.

[NATI BENGALS]

It wont matter how many early draft picks we have if we let Tobin continue to call the shots.