Browns wanted McCarron and were close

[George Cantstandya]

Just going to throw this in here since AJ isn't going to be traded given the deadline has passed. But unless things change he will be a restricted free agent in 2018. So here is how that works and why the Bengals won't end up with nothing if AJ goes to another team in 2018:

Teams have four different tender options they can place on their restricted free agent that usually keeps those players from leaving.

First-round tender: Free agent can negotiate with other teams, but original team has option to match any deal and will receive a first-round selection if it opts not to match the deal.

Second-round tender: Free agent can negotiate with other teams, but original team has option to match any deal and will receive a second-round selection if it opts not to match the deal.

Original-round tender: Free agent can negotiate with other teams, but original team has option to match any deal and will receive a selection equal to the round the player was originally selected in if it opts not to match the deal.

Right of first refusal: Free agent can negotiate with other teams, but original team has option to match any deal. The team will not receive any compensation if it opts not to match another deal.

Why not give every player a first-round tender?

Money and the salary cap implications would come with that. There aren’t many restricted free agents that are so valuable that a team would ever even consider giving up a first- or second-round pick to acquire them, so it’s a waste to apply a more expensive tender when a cheaper one can ward off prospective teams.

Source: https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2017/3/8/14834554/nfl-restricted-free-agents-rules-tender-amounts