Early word was that Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green would have no change in his timetable to return after he went in for ankle surgery Tuesday. By the time the sun started going down, that all changed. Head coach Zac Taylor told reporters that Green would miss “more than a couple of” regular season games when he addressed the media in the evening.
“I hate to put weeks on it,” Taylor told reporters, “But we are ready for him to come back when he feels healthy and ready to go and hopefully it’s not more than a couple games.”
ZAC says Green to miss some regular-season games
— Geoff Hobson (@GeoffHobsonCin) July 30, 2019
Green is in the final year of his current contract with the Bengals and every game missed is likely costing him future money, even if he leaves the team as a free agent. He’s due to make $11.976 million in 2019 and has now been hobbled by injuries for two consecutive seasons. He’s a risk now and Cincinnati is not a team that likes to take them under owner and general manager Mike Brown.
Andrew Luck not practicing
It’s probably just a precaution and it’s a smart one. The Indianapolis Colts are holding quarterback Andrew Luck out of practice while he nurses a sore calf. He’s already been ruled out of playing in the team’s first preseason game.
“The nature of it is a calf strain,” Luck said. “And I say lower leg ’cause I feel pain in my ankle area and calf strain. I’ve had images and X-rays and my Achilles is not at extra risk. There is no tear or swelling in there or anything that’s indicated.”
Titans' RB Derrick Henry is nursing a strained calf…
Colts' QB Andrew Luck is nursing a strained calf…Players and teams think back to Kevin Durant, and want to make sure they're not rushing back any sooner than they have to during training camp.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 30, 2019
Luck has been dealing with the injury for at least three months. It wouldn’t be ridiculous for the Colts to just hold him out of nearly everything in the preseason. It makes no sense to risk the franchise when he’ll be fine once the real games are played.
Last year Lick led Indianapolis to a 10-6 finish and a Wild Card round victory over the Houston Texans. He completed 67.3 percent of his passes for 4,593 yards and 39 touchdowns with 15 picks.
