Zac Taylor explains why Bengals have yet to be sellers at the trade deadline

The Cincinnati Bengals are one of multiple teams throughout the NFL that should be rattling off trade requests. However, it’s been the opposite as the Bengals have seemingly listened and not responded. Or, better yet, they overvalue their own personnel and make wild demands.

It’s mind-boggling as to why the Bengals might hold on to even some of their older assets.

Take A.J. Green for example.

Once Green hits the field again for a competitive team, he’ll be at least 32 years old. That’s even considering that the Bengals will be competitive next season since they’ll likely overpay him compared to his market value this offseason.

It’s not so much about Green himself but to what the team could get for Green.

At 0-8, it’s likely a wide receiver in his waning years won’t make the team competitive in the coming years. To make matters worse, they’re reportedly not taking interest in a first-round pick for Green according to Jason La Canfora.

“With the trade deadline now just days away, Washington and Cincinnati continue to be pursued by a contingent of teams about potential blockbuster trades, and continue to refuse to entertain the possibility despite combining for one victory between them. . . The Bengals could get a first-round pick for injured receiver A.J. Green -- an unrestricted free agent at season’s end who won’t be back there -- but owner Mike Brown refuses to entertain the idea, sources said.”

To this point in the season, all playoff hope is lost, as it has been for almost a month.

All hope is lost that this team can get better as well, and one way you make sure to not get better is by not acquiring much-needed draft capital when you have the players that could bring it in.

The Bengals could be big-time sellers at this year’s trade deadline, but they’ve yet to make a move. In a postgame press conference, Taylor noted the reasons for Cincinnati having yet sold many of their pieces.

“Yeah, because there’s some key players that we feel like are critical to our success this year, critical to our future that probably teams want and that we want. So that makes for an easy decision.”

31-year-old A.J. Green, 31-year-old Geno Atkins, 30-year-old Carlos Dunlap have all seen good times in Cincinnati, but they may never see another winning team in the Queen City again till their time is up.

The Bengals could seemingly acquire at least three or four picks for the trio, giving them options during the next trade to even trade up. But, for now, they’re staying put, and we’ll see if that changes in the coming days with the October 29 trade deadline looming.