CINCINNATI -- As expected, Cincinnati Bengals receiver A.J. Green was declared inactive ahead of Sunday's game at Paul Brown Stadium against the Carolina Panthers.
The Pro Bowl wideout aggravated an injury to his right big toe as the team stretched at the start of Wednesday's practice. It's an injury that dates to the season opener at Baltimore. He played through the pain, even catching a go-ahead 77-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter that helped give the Bengals a 23-16 win.
The next week, Green was run from the Bengals' game against the Falcons after just six plays because of the injury. He returned the next week, and also played in the Bengals' game at New England last Sunday night. He has 17 catches for 314 yards and two touchdowns. This will be the first game Green has missed since his rookie season.
Green's injury is one that head coach Marvin Lewis called "a little more than" turf toe during a radio interview Thursday. That same day, Green saw an area foot specialist for further evaluation. On Friday, he was seen at the Bengals' walk-through wearing a black walking boot.
Despite the sight of the boot, Lewis said after Friday's practice that Green's foot was "day to day."
"He's feeling good," Lewis added. "Which is a good thing, a positive thing."
Along with Green, the Bengals are without receiver Marvin Jones, who has participated in only five practices since the start of training camp because of a series of injuries. He's currently battling through a tweaked ankle that arose last week after he returned from a broken foot.
With those injuries, Mohamed Sanu and Brandon Tate settle in at WR1 and WR2 on the Bengals' depth chart. Sanu enters this game tied for the team lead in catches with Green, snagging 17 passes. He also has two touchdowns.
Here is the complete list of inactives for both the Bengals and Panthers:
BENGALS
WR A.J. Green
CB Chris Lewis-Harris
LB Khairi Fortt
WR Marvin Jones
DE Will Clarke
PANTHERS
QB Joe Webb
LB D.J. Smith
CB Bene' Benwikere
CB Josh Norman
