Bengals place franchise tag on WR A.J. Green

March 16 (UPI) -- The Cincinnati Bengals have placed the franchise tag on wide receiver A.J. Green.

Sources told NFL Network and ESPN of the move Monday. Green, 31, missed the 2019 season due to an ankle injury. The seven-time Pro Bowl selection ranks second in franchise history with 8,907 career receiving yards.

The Bengals' star pass catcher made the Pro Bowl in each of his first seven seasons before injuries began to pile up. Green missed seven games in 2018 due to a toe injury. He has missed 29 of a possible 64 games since the start of the 2016 season. He has also missed 23 of the past 24 games.

Green will make about $18 million in 2020 under the terms of the franchise tag. The Bengals have until July 15 to negotiate a long-term contract for their star wide receiver.

Cincinnati is expected to select former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

"If I'm lucky enough to be drafted first overall I'd like to have [Green] on the roster," Burrow told reporters in February at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

Tyler Boyd led the Bengals with 1,056 yards and five scores on 90 receptions in 2019. Boyd signed a four-year, $43 million contract extension with the Bengals in July.