CINCINNATI – A.J. Green will miss the next few days of practice, at the minimum, but there is no structural damage to his left knee that the Bengals All-Pro receiver injured on Thursday’s opening day of training camp.
Green had an MRI of the knee taken on Thursday. The test revealed bruising both internally and externally but no ligament damage. Green was attempting to catch a pass from quarterback Andy Dalton down the sideline in a drill against cornerback Terence Newman. The pass was high and Green came down awkwardly.
It’s similar to an injury Green suffered in his rookie season of 2011 after catching a 36-yard touchdown pass against Pittsburgh. Green missed the next game at Baltimore but returned the following week against Cleveland to catch three passes for 110 yards.
“When I felt it (Thursday) it felt just like the one against Pittsburgh,” said Green at his locker on Friday. “It was scary for me, but I felt it and everything felt intact. I got up and walked off, so it’s fine. I didn’t think it was that serious but it happens. It’s early so I can get time to rest it and get back for time when it really matters.”
The Bengals play their first preseason game at Atlanta on Aug. 8. They will have joint practices with the Falcons the three days leading up to the game.
Green did not participate in the team’s morning installation and walk-through portion today.
“He’s getting treatment, obviously, and will be sore. He won’t practice today, tomorrow and probably likely this weekend at all,” said head coach Marvin Lewis. “We’ll go from there when he’s ready, which at this point I don’t perceive to be very long. We’ll take our time with it and let him get right and well. He’ll be fine. Hopefully very quickly.”
