A.J. Green: It’s not about the money; I’ve got enough

[Who Dey]

Getty Images

A.J. Green participated in position drills this week for the first time since July. He plans to run routes Sunday before the Bengals play the Ravens.

The receiver won’t play this week, but he remains hopeful for Week Seven depending on how his ankle responds in his pregame work Sunday.

“The biggest thing is just trying to keep the swelling down, getting back used to that grind of you stopping, cutting and things like that,” Green said, via Jay Morrison of TheAthletic.com.

If Green plays Oct. 20, that would put him back in the lineup against the Jaguars and a possible rematch with cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who is questionable this week with a back injury.

The last time Green and Ramsey faced off, both were ejected for fighting, and the league fined Green $42,000. Green said Thursday he has not talked to Ramsey since the 2017 scrap, adding, “For what?”

“If I’m healthy enough, it doesn’t matter what game it is. I’ll be back in there,” Green said when asked if returning to play Ramsey was a motivating factor.

Green, 31, played only nine games last season. He has not played this season, having injured his ankle in the initial training camp practice.

With Green in the final year of his contract, trade rumors have persisted. Coach Zac Taylor tried to squelch the talk Thursday, insisting the Bengals are not trading Green.

Green hasn’t heard the trade speculation but wants to remain in Cincinnati.

“I’d just like to stay here,” Green said. “They value me. Nobody is going to value you as much as the place you got drafted at. It’s home.”

Green, who has an $11.976 million base salary this season, is the 11th-highest paid receiver with a $15 million annual average on his deal. But he has made $77.7 million in his career, per overthecap.com.

He insists the value of his next deal is less important than staying in Cincinnati.

“It’s not about the money,” Green said, via Ben Baby of ESPN. “Got enough money. I just want to make sure I’m healthy, and then everything else will take care of itself.”