This Raiders-Bengals Trade for AJ Green Could Actually Work

The Cincinnati Bengals didn't want star wide receiver AJ Green to hit the free agent market, so they slapped him with the franchise tag, despite the fact that the 32-year-old didn't play a snap last season.

Cincinnati has a long rebuild in the cards, and trading Green to a receiver-needy team could jump start that process.

The #Bengals have officially placed the franchise tag on WR AJ Green, per NFL Network. Cincy made it clear early on that this was their plan. Green played only nine games in 2018 and missed all of last season with an ankle injury.
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) March 16, 2020

If they decide to trade him, the Las Vegas Raiders would be an ideal landing spot.

The Raiders might be a little gun shy about trading for a star wide receiver, as the last time they gave away draft picks for a superstar wideout, Antonio Brown cursed out the GM after freezing his feet in cryotherapy before earning a release. Green, however, has no major red flags regarding his character.

The Raiders only have around $6 million in cap space, which could make it hard for them to squeeze Green's $17.8 million salary onto their roster. One move that could make sense is trading wide receiver Tyrell Williams and his $11 million cap hit to Cincinnati, along with a fifth- or sixth-round pick.

In this deal, Las Vegas gets a still-elite receiver who would be the best target both Derek Carr and Marcus Mariota have ever thrown to, while Cincinnati gets another pick for the rebuild and a solid No. 2 wide receiver.

Tyrell Williams, 6 rec, 105yds, 17.5 avg, 1 TD pic.twitter.com/BTw4mLVS7D
— Gipsy's Alt Account (@SGafety) September 14, 2019

This trade would kill two birds with one stone for Cincinnati, as they can offload Green's contract while still providing the quarterback they end up taking in the draft with a plentiful amount of consistent weapons out wide.