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Today, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said that A.J. Green would practice today and likely play Sunday vs. the Ravens.
That’s been the plan ever since Cincinnati went into the bye week with an 0-8 record, and a big part of the team being winless is Green having yet to play this season. When he suffered an ankle injury on the first day of training camp that required surgery, the initial belief was he’d return in the Week 3-5 range.
But Green didn’t even start practicing until October 23rd, and he has yet to even get in a full practice yet.
Now, on the same day Taylor said Green would practice, the Bengals receiver was not seen on the field during the open media portion, which usually lasts about 30 minutes.
After all the rah, rah goodness about A.J. Green and Taylor saying he's going to play Sunday and they have a plan for him .... Green was NOT at practice today. As told to us, plan was for him to go full today, so I don't know what to say about that.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) November 6, 2019
They come back in from practice around 2:20 and there will be an official practice report later, so we should be able to get some answers at some point. Until then, I'll let all of you fill my timeline with what you think happened. #SendMeYourBestTheories
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) November 6, 2019
Perhaps the Bengals are playing some misdirection with Green’s status in an attempt to affect the Ravens’ gameplan this week. After all, Green routinely torches the Ravens, and the Bengals have won six of their last seven meetings with Baltimore when Green played.
Maybe Green is holding out until the Bengals make more progress on a contract extension, as reports suggest the two sides aren’t close to a deal.
Or, perhaps something else is afoot. At this point, nothing would be a shock considering how the season is going.