Getty The Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver will be sidelined indefinitely.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver AJ Green isn’t returning any time soon — if it all.
According to a report from Ben Baby of ESPN, the seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver is out indefinitely — which means that his 2019 season could be over before it ever even started.
“The latest setback in A.J. Green’s recovery process will keep the Bengals wide receiver off the field indefinitely.
Green said he will likely not make his season debut Sunday against Baltimore after his left ankle did not respond well to workouts earlier this week. Following Monday’s off-week practice, Green said he experienced swelling that derailed his plans of participating in Wednesday’s practice. The ninth-year receiver said he doesn’t know how long he will need to stay off the ankle as he continues the rehab process.”
Green Has Yet to Participate Fully in Practice
Green tore multiple ligaments in his left ankle during the Bengals’ first preseason practice and he underwent surgery in late July. He had started participating in individual drills and was nearing full participation in practice.
“For me, just gotta make sure I feel comfortable going out there and pushing it,” Green said Thursday. “For me, just gotta make sure I gotta take care of me first before anything else.”
Green had been making progress in his recovery, running routes and participating in back-to-back drills. However, he cautioned he wouldn’t be close to returning until he was at least a full participant in practice — something he had yet to accomplish to this point in time.
“Right now, my ankle is saying it’s too much,” Green said. “That’s when you gotta back off.”
“I just take it day-by-day,” Green said. “If that comes to a point where I can’t play, that’s what’s supposed to happen. Then my ankle’s not where I need to be for me to play. Right now, I’m still thinking I still can play. I still can give this thing a little bit more time and then we go from there.”
The 31-year-old wide receiver has been one of the NFL’s top wide receivers since entering the league back in 2011. Not only was he named to seven straight Pro Bowls to begin his career, he was a two-time Second-Team All-Pro during the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
Over the course of his eight-year career, Green has amassed 602 receptions for 8,907 yards and 63 touchdowns. He has also helped lead the Bengals to four postseason appearances.
Green May Have Played His Last Game as a Bengals Receiver
Considering Cincinnati is the only winless team left in the NFL at 0-8 and with the franchise now preparing itself for a rebuild by announcing fourth-round rookie Ryan Finley as the starting quarterback for their Week 10 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, there seems to be almost no point in even playing Green this season.
Green will be a free agent this offseason. Although he’s one of the most decorated receivers in the NFL, he’s also about to turn 32 years old and is coming off of a major ankle injury that required surgery. Furthermore, assuming he doesn’t play this year, he’ll have been sidelined for basically one full NFL season.
We’ll see what his free agency market is when the offseason comes around.