Tom Brady reportedly is in the Patriots’ plans for the 2020 season.
Former NFL wide receiver James Jones believes New England can make that abundantly clear to the star quarterback by going out and acquiring one of the best pass-catchers in the game.
A.J. Green is eligible for free agency when the new league year opens March 18. The seven-time Pro Bowl selection is coming off a lost 2019 season due to an ankle injury, but at 31 years old, he likely still has plenty left in the tank to be a high-impact player. And Jones, for one, believes Green’s services are most needed in Foxboro.
“I think whoever gets A.J. Green, they’re basically telling their quarterback, ‘Listen, we’re trying to help you out, so don’t worry about it. You can stay here.’ I’m putting him with the Patriots,” Jones said Wednesday on NFL Network. “Listen, Tom Brady, free agent, we’re about to make a splash and let you know we want you here. We’re going to get you some big-time weapons. We’re going to get you A.J. Green to go out there with Julian Edelman and we’re going to make sure we keep you here in free agency.”
It’s easy to imagine Green thriving with the Patriots, but Bill Belichick and Co. probably won’t have a chance to even kick the tires on the star wideout. As Jones noted, Green can be a quarterback’s best friend, and the Bengals likely will want to provide a premier target for Joe Burrow, who all but surely will be the No. 1 overall pick in next month’s draft.
So even if Green and Cincinnati don’t work out a new deal, a franchise tag likely will be in order.
