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This Article Highlights Why We Need AJ Green
#1
A freak athlete, with a great head on his shoulders who is willing to lead. You couldn't ask for a better person to guide young players than AJ Green. I was dumbfounded when some insisted on trading him. I hope he's a Bengal for life.

Quote:The stream-lined, stripped-down Bengals, minus some cornerstone veterans and replete with leadership candidates, are back in town Monday for off-season workouts.

And one of those emerging leaders, the marvelously gifted A.J. Green, seems to have set the tone for a talented team looking to rebound from last season’s bruising six-win disappointment in which he missed the last seven games with a partially torn hamstring.

Back in February Green, seeking the consistency of the Paul Brown Stadium workouts, reached out to Clif Marshall, a disciple of Bengals strength and conditioning coach Chip Morton. Green asked Marshall to guide him through a relentless two-month program that would ready him for a season in which he suddenly turns 29 the first week of training camp.

Investing in his future, Green flew Marshall to Atlanta weekly and put him up in a hotel. They worked four to five hours a day for four days at Kennesaw State to make sure the six-time Pro Bowler keeps adding to his numbers while taming the accumulating years. When Marshall suggested acquiring a device the Bengals use to stretch and soothe muscles, Green not only put down the sizeable check, but also paid to overnight it.

“He’s one of the best in the game and he’s not comfortable,” Marshall says. “A lot of guys when they get paid, they go L.A. Fitness and work out a couple of times a week. Well, he got paid, but he’s hungry. This guy wanted to get after it.”

Morton, the only head strength coach Marvin Lewis has had in his 15 seasons as Bengals coach, believes they have a team full of hungry players in the wake of 2016. Since an NFL strength staff spends more time with the players than any other department during the preseason, Morton’s role is huge as the administrator of Lewis’ points of emphasis for a new season.

So the T-Shirts this spring get right to it. “Smart. Fast. Physical.” And there is a quote from Bengals founder Paul Brown urging players to run on their own gas.

“No matter all the other slogans, this is what it always gets back to for Marvin. He wants us fast, smart, and physical,” Morton says. “We want self-discipline from our players and accountability. An identity. This is who we are … Let’s keep the main things the main things. Let’s boil it down.”

Morton, assistant Jeff Friday and Shea Thompson, assistant for sports science, have mapped out a schedule for the next five weeks that is true to the basics of strength and speed. But they are also nipping and tucking as they prepare for the May and June field work, helped along by three years of monitoring players with the wires of GPS. Thompson is in charge of interpreting those numbers and Morton and Friday build a regimen off the analysis in a series of tweaks, adjustments, and refinements.



The view from Chip Morton's office.

Tweaking.

For instance, Morton has condensed the four lifting stations and taken out what they see as excess lifts.

Adjusting.

Morton has gone back to the schedule of two years ago with more training time and less guest lecturing.

Refining.

They are dabbling with drills for “3D Movement,’ which goes beyond lateral and straight ahead work.

“It’s trimming away what didn’t work and enhancing what did,” Morton says.

Little things are big things in the weight room. Like when two-year-old Noah Dalton became the first person to try out the new set of hurdles on a day he brought his dad Andy to the stadium.

“We had traditional hurdles for some movement drills,” Morton says. “Those track hurdles only go so low. If you look at it, is a guy compensating because he’s not quite mobile enough for the height to get over? I’m still moving, but is my movement properly aligned? Is my posture correct? Now we’ve got new hurdles that allow lower heights. Everybody does this simple hurdle drill, but how can we make it better? That’s where we’re at. We’re refining.”

So is Green after suffering the biggest injury of his career.

“A.J. and I discussed as he gets older, he needs to invest in his body even more. I think he's done a great job up to this point. He gets it,” Marshall says. “He is always looking for a way to get better … Many NFL players during the off-season bounce from gym to gym from trainer to trainer and there's never a consistent effort to maximize their off-season gains.”


While a son of the Green-Dalton Bengals happily hopped over the hurdles, his father’s franchise partner looked to scale the heights. Green turned to Marshall, the latest in a line of Morton graduates from PBS to run college programs.



Green, moving into his seventh season, is just 19 catches form becoming the fourth Bengal with 500 catches.

According to published reports, Marshall is leaving Cincinnati’s Ignition Sports to become the strength coach for new Indiana basketball coach Archie Miller. He joins two other grads running basketball programs in Robert Harris, head man for John Calipari at Kentucky, and Michael Rehfeldt, Mick Cronin’s strongman at the University of Cincinnati, reflecting the diversity of Morton’s program.

A lot of it is based on relationships with players and Marshall certainly has Green’s trust. Green’s circle is famously small, consisting of his wife, six-month-old son, parents, and in-laws. His college teammate, Justin Houston, joined him when they took the show to the University of Georgia for a few days.

“It was like working on a Lamborghini. The performance is there it just needs to be tuned up from time to time,” Marshall says. “I’m thankful for the opportunity he gave me and for the trust of Chip Morton. I've been able to develop a relationship with A.J. because Chip has allowed me to be around the Bengals program since 2005.”

A big part of Marshall’s regimen is spiritual, so each day usually included a prayer and reflections about life as a new father. There has never been any question about Green’s commitment to the game and his work habits. It was just about organizing it all.

“At some level it comes down to doing the right things at the right time of the year. It's more than just lifting weights and going out and running long distances in the offseason,” Marshall says. “There has to be a purpose for every drill in the weight room and on the field. I tried my best to explain to AJ what we were doing and why we were doing it every session.’

It was no day at the beach. The closest they came to that was the torturous sand pit designed to strengthen his legs. For stamina they swam for low impact cardio. They would box for a few rounds, spend an hour in the weight room, and spend another hour on speed, agility, and quickness specific to wide receivers. They worked on hand-eye coordination often using tennis balls.

Marshall attached a heart monitor to Green for every workout and came away raving about the phenomenal shape of the Bengals franchise player. It took a mountainous work load to get his heart rate accelerated. The only player he’s seen in that class is Carolina Pro Bowl middle linebacker Luke Kuechly.

“We all know what kind of quality, quality person A.J. is,” Morton says. “He enjoys training. It’s an example of a player still learning. That’s a pro. ‘What do I need to do this year to improve my game?’

With long-time locker-room leaders Andrew Whitworth and Domata Peko moving on, Morton sees some significance in this Green offseason.

“This team has gone through some transition as teams do every year. It’s time for that new group of leaders to emerge,’ Morton says. “There are quite a lot of guys that Coach Lewis is counting on to lead. They’ve got to move to the forefront. Other veterans are not here anymore. Now the next generation has to rise up. And that’s an example of that.”


http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Bengals-return-in-offseason-of-Green-pastures/1265c578-8d9e-4ec7-96ba-5369f712ec1f
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#2
(04-16-2017, 01:55 PM)CageTheBengal Wrote: I was dumbfounded when some insisted on trading him. I hope he's a Bengal for life.

My thoughts exactly. Good article. 
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#3
Yeah I really had to take a step back from posting after I saw hate going towards Dalton and AJ Green. Those 2 are the only reason we are in most close games we find ourselves in.
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#4
He is 29 and probably has 2 or three years left of elite play. I am not saying we should be all in at trading him but we should listen to worthy offers.
https://twitter.com/JAKEAKAJ24
J24

Jessie Bates left the Bengals and that makes me sad!
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#5
Great work ethic and drive to be the best.
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#6
Great article. Not only expanding upon what most of us already knew about AJ Green, but giving a snapshot of insight into the Bengals Strength and Conditioning program.

I will add, that while most of us already knew that AJ Green was not only a gifted athlete, but also a humble individual and true professional, you can tell from the article that he "gets it". Meaning that in a day and age where so many of the elite players allow their personalities to become that of "divas", he is anything but. He keeps his nose to the grind, understands that his body and skill set are his paycheck. Although his teams never won the National Championship, when he played for UGA, they were still always in contention. He is a winner, and now it is his place to be a leader in the locker room.

Also glad to get the insight into the Bengals Strength and Conditioning. Good to know that Chip Morton is keeping the Bengals up with the times, in that department.
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#7
Yeah he's a top 5 WR in the NFL and one of the best Bengals ever....
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#8
(04-16-2017, 05:21 PM)J24 Wrote: He  is 29 and probably has 2 or three years left of elite play. I am not saying we should be all in at trading him but we should listen to worthy offers.

There are some guys you just don't trade.
“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.” ― Albert Einstein

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#9
(04-16-2017, 10:08 PM)McC Wrote: There are some guys you just don't trade.


Agreed, he's what I would describe as a "cornerstone" player.  He and Andy, on offense.  Geno and Carlos on defense. 
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Volson is meh, but I like him, and he has far exceeded my expectations

-Frank Booth 1/9/23
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#10
(04-16-2017, 05:21 PM)J24 Wrote: He  is 29 and probably has 2 or three years left of elite play. I am not saying we should be all in at trading him but we should listen to worthy offers.

29 this season. I think he can do 3-5 years of elite experience. Larry has proven age can be a myth at the position.


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#11
No need to convince me, hope AJ never plays in another uniform except in Bengal stripes.

We hit the jackpot with him off and on the field, plus with his mouth in the media.

Could not ask for much more than he brings.
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yet it's only the thirsty that hunger to roam. 
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#12
Agreed on all fronts about his ability, work ethic, and drive.

Now, if he is your #1 player, how can you improve him? Put a burner opposite him to take pressure off. Have an outstanding running game (the line and the back).

Do it. Priority #1 of this draft should be weapons and the offensive line. I like Barnett a great deal, but I really think the Bengals need more firepower and protection on offense. I am not saying to pass on a DEs, but get the WR first and maybe slide to do it and accumulate extra picks.
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#13
Well, you know we'll always have a contingent of fans who will insist that no matter how great a player is you should always trade him for the next greatest and latest talent and every other team is willing to give up the moon stars and sun for whoever we have to trade.. 
Hint:  Never buy a used car from those fans.. 
In the immortal words of my old man, "Wait'll you get to be my age!"

Chicago sounds rough to the maker of verse, but the one comfort we have is Cincinnati sounds worse. ~Oliver Wendal Holmes Sr.


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#14
(04-16-2017, 05:21 PM)J24 Wrote: He  is 29 and probably has 2 or three years left of elite play. I am not saying we should be all in at trading him but we should listen to worthy offers.

Dudes in his prime...  keep him thru this contract and probly 1 more.
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#15
(04-16-2017, 01:55 PM)CageTheBengal Wrote: A freak athlete, with a great head on his shoulders who is willing to lead. You couldn't ask for a better person to guide young players than AJ Green. I was dumbfounded when some insisted on trading him. I hope he's a Bengal for life.



http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Bengals-return-in-offseason-of-Green-pastures/1265c578-8d9e-4ec7-96ba-5369f712ec1f

I don't need an article to tell me we need AJ Green.   However if we could get Great Value out of his name if he is in decline ya bet we should trade him out.  
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#16
(04-17-2017, 11:49 AM)Marlon23 Wrote: I don't need an article to tell me we need AJ Green.   However if we could get Great Value out of his name if he is in decline ya bet we should trade him out.  

I think you will be waiting a long while.
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#17
It's just a complete shame that we've had a player as good as AJ Green and have never even been able to get out of the first round of the playoffs. What a disaster. I don't see the team improving enough this year to change that either.

He could have went down as one of the best to ever play the position, but if he wins no championships, it will tarnish his legacy.
"Our offensive line is going to surprise a lot of people" - Mike Brown (7-26-21)
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#18
(04-17-2017, 11:49 AM)Marlon23 Wrote: I don't need an article to tell me we need AJ Green.   However if we could get Great Value out of his name if he is in decline ya bet we should trade him out.  

To what end?  Starting over?  Might as well trade the QB too.  And hell, imagine what we could get for Geno.
“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.” ― Albert Einstein

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#19
Great article, AJ Green is a great man and a great player. To me speaking about trading him is a bit blasphemous.

AJ was having his best year as a pro last year before the hammy. Dude is a gamechanger.

Funny that Morton mentioned Marv pushing for accountability though.

That is a laugher with how they have handled the Adam Jones situation.
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#20
I have to be honest there is not a player on the team that can't be traded in my book. If there is some way it would help us win that is all that matters. Players come and go, and if AJ was to be traded, for what would help us win.. or Geno, I say See YA Bye Bye!
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