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The Cincinnati Bengals placed the franchise tag on veteran wide receiver A.J. Green, multiple outlets reported Monday.

The tag price for a receiver is expected to be around $18 million.

Green, 31, missed the 2019 season with an ankle injury.

Both sides said in February they hoped to avoid the franchise tag. Green, however, said he wouldn’t “turn down” $18 million.

Head coach Zac Taylor said Green would be the team’s top priority in the offseason at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. While there, the team was urged by purported No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow to keep Green.

The seven-time Pro Bowl selection has played in 111 games (all starts) since the Bengals made him the No. 4 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. He has caught 602 passes for 8,907 yards and 63 touchdowns.

He signed a four-year, $60 million extension with the Bengals in 2015.

The Bengals finished 2-14 under first-year coach Zac Taylor last year. They have the No. 1 pick in April’s NFL draft and reportedly intend to select a quarterback, with Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow of LSU widely linked to the pick.

–Field Level Media