Vontaze Burfict

Bengals' Lewis on Marvin Jones: Need to practice if you want to play

Published Aug. 7, 2015 12:26 p.m. ET

foxsports

Bengals receiver Marvin Jones' inability to stay on the field may keep him from getting back on it as soon as he'd like.

Jones has missed three straight days of practice with a hamstring injury. This coming after missing all of last season with a foot injury. Jones has been expected to slide back into the No. 2 receiving spot opposite A.J. Green with Mohamed Sanu in the slot, but head coach Marvin Lewis had a message for Jones after Thursday's practice.

"Marvin has to get to practice if Marvin wants to get to play," Lewis said via the team's official website. "He hasn’t played in basically a year. He has to get ready to play NFL football ... We’re not going to play people that can’t practice with us ... The passing game is a lot about timing and repetition. It just doesn’t happen."

Rex Burkhead saw time in the slot with the first team between Green and Sanu during Thursday's session. The recently re-signed Greg Little also received some increased reps as well.

As for rehabbing linebacker Vontaze Burfict, Lewis is happy with is progress as he works his way back from microfracture knee surgery.

"He's got to keep after it and stay after it," Lewis said. "He’s got a certain time frame in mind. I see better than I hear."

Defensive coordinator Paul Guenther has been targeting the team's third preseason game against Chicago to get Burfict back on the field, but Lewis would not put a timeline on Burfict's return.

h/t: Cincinnati Bengals

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