Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton is likely a happy man. The Bengals have reportedly locked up No. 1 wide receiver and Dalton's favorite target, AJ Green, to a long-term contract extension. Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer was the first with the news. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that Green's new deal is worth $60 million.
It was reported on Thursday that talks between Green and the Bengals had "ramped up significantly" over the past few days, but that significant obstacles to a pact being struck remained. Specifically, Green was said to be seeking to become the second-highest paid wide receiver in the league behind Detroit Lions pass-catcher Calvin Johnson and his $16 million per year deal.
The market for wide receivers had seemingly been set this offseason as the Falcons, Cowboys and Broncos all handed out major contracts to their own players - Julio Jones (five-years, $71.25 million, $47 million guaranteed), Dez Bryant (five-years, $70 million, $45 million guaranteed) and Demaryius Thomas (five-years, $70 million, $43.5 million guaranteed), respectively.
If Rapoport's report on the numbers in Green's new deal are accurate, that would land him exactly where he wanted to be, as the second-most highly compensated pass-catcher in the league. And considering his prodigious output in his short four-year career thus far, it really makes a lot of sense.
