The Cincinnati Bengals, with iconic quarterback Carson Palmer threatening to retire rather than play there another season, decided to bolster their wide receiving corps Thursday night, selecting A.J. Green fourth overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. Green is the most polished wide receiver in the NFL Draft, a 6’4" number-one wideout with great hands who should be able to catch passes no matter who’s throwing them his way.
The Bengals’ aging wide receiver corps, which featured Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens last year, just got considerably younger and considerably less likely to appear on reality television, at least at the moment.
The question is whether Green will actually play with Carson Palmer, who now has a much different set of weapons than he did when he threatened to retire. Green is the rare wide receiver who could make a major offensive difference as soon as this year—both as a player and a chit in the ongoing game of quarterback chicken the Bengals are playing with Carson Palmer.