Andrew Hawkins arrives at Paul Brown Stadium without a boot

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrew Hawkins suffered his ankle injury during the team's first Family Night at Paul Brown Stadium when a defender stepped on his foot, forcing him to fall down in obvious pain. Two weeks ago he was seen in the team's lockerroom wearing a cast, something that was going to stay for the foreseeable future.

According to the team's beat writers attending their one-hour locker room swaray Monday morning, Hawkins walked through the locker room without wearing a boot (or a scooter).

It's unknown the seriousness of his injury, however this has to be the first encouragement in a long-line of discouraging progress regarding the slot receiver's prognosis. Hawkins is still believed to be a candidate for the team's Injured Reserve with a designation to return, and if he needs the half-season to rehabilitate, the team figures to promote players like Ryan Whalen or Dane Sazenbacher as the sixth wide receiver.

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