Report: Initial diagnosis on A.J. Green is a sprained ankle

[Who Dey]

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The initial diagnosis on Bengals receiver A.J. Green is a sprained left ankle, via multiple reports.

Green is headed for an MRI “to be sure,” Ian Rapoport of the NFL reports.

“You don’t want to assume anything, but I think we’re going to be OK,” coach Zac Taylor said, via James Palmer of the NFL.

Thus, Green and the Bengals might be able to breathe a sigh of relief, but both sides also will want to exercise caution with the receiver through the preseason. The Bengals want to do all they can to make sure Green is on the field for more than the nine games he played last season, and Green wants a contract extension.

The receiver is in the final year of his deal, making $12 million in base salary and counting $15.2 million against the salary cap in 2019.

Green has six 1,000-yard seasons in his eight seasons but had a career-low 694 receiving yards in 2018.

He was running a go route against Dre Kirkpatrick on Saturday when he went down. He got up limping and eventually was carted off the field.