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As expected, the Cincinnati Bengals and A.J. Green watched as Wednesday’s deadline passed.
Wednesday’s deadline was the last opportunity for the two parties to agree on a long-term extension. Now that it has come and gone — again, as expected — the two parties can’t talk a long-term pact until after the season.
Through it all, the Bengals have remained adamant Green will sign the tag and play on it in 2020. Green in his sparse media appearances has said the same.
An extension was always unlikely, but even moreso during the restrictions put on players visiting team facilities amid the coronavirus pandemic. It wouldn’t have made sense for the Bengals to commit for the long-term before seeing Green can stay healthy.
As for Green, he’ll get a chance to prove he’s healthy this season while working with Joe Burrow under center. If all goes to plan, maybe this is all moot and they agree on a new contract next offseason before he hits free agency.
Cincinnati has had an eye on the future in this regard for a long time — they extended Tyler Boyd and just drafted Tee Higgins.
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