Before Wednesday's practice franchise wide receiver A.J. Green surfaced for the first time in 46 days to talk. As every Cincy school kid knows, that's when he injured his ankle in the first training camp practice at Dayton's Welcome Stadium.

Green could be back on the rehab field as soon as Thursday and he's encouraged by his daily efforts running on the zero gravity treadmill. Not only that, the boot is off. But he's offering no time table on the kick-start to his season, although he can't help but leer at the Sept. 30 Monday night game in Pittsburgh.

"I don't want to do all this work and then get back out there and hurt it again," Green said. "It's got to be ready so I can play at a high level."

Green, the non-diva receiver, usually stays clear of anything controversial. But he's adamantly anti-turf field after the monster got him again.

"It's turf. I hate turf. I feel like turf has always hurt me," Green said. "I hurt my toe on turf and I hurt my ankle. I never got hurt on grass. So I'm going to stick by that … I hate turf. It's the turf's fault. Everybody needs grass fields … Grass. Just grass. Grass gives. Bluegrass man. I like bluegrass."

Yes, Green took notice of his 2011 draft soul mate Julio Jones' new $23 million per year new deal. He's in his contract year, but he'll prefer to keep it about grass and not get in the weeds about a new deal.

"Stuff is happening. We're trying to get healthy and make sure I'm fine to where I can go out there and play," Green said. "But like I said, I really don't get into it. I let my agent handle all of that other stuff. Everybody knows when they give me 16 games, what you're going to get. I'm not worried about the contract situation because it's going to work itself out no matter where I'm at."

- Running back Joe Mixon (ankle) is day to day and didn't practice Wednesday. It looked like tight end Tyler Eifert had a vet day off. Left tackle Cordy Glenn (concussion) didn't appear to be at the facility and still appears to be in protocol.