Before franchise wide receiver A.J. Green went through individual drills at the start of practice Wednesday and was marked as limited, rookie wide receiver Damion Willis went from Opening Day starter to the waiver wire in 45 days.
The Bengals released Willis (nine catches at nine yards per) to re-sign defensive end Anthony Zettel two days after they released him to make room for the return of Cordy Glenn from his one-game suspension for disciplinary reasons. Head coach Zac Taylor indicated they hope Willis clears waivers so he can re-join the club on the practice squad.
Green says he won't play until he's 100 percent and Taylor says he won't play him until he sees him practice full go, so his return to a game doesn't appear to be imminent.
Zettlel came off the couch last Sunday to give them 31 snaps in his first game since he started the pre-season finale in Cleveland. His returns suggests that ends Carlos Dunlap (knee) and Carl Lawson (hamstring) aren't going to be ready in time for Sunday's game in London (1 p.m.-Cincinnati's Local 12) against the Rams.
Lawson was on the rehab field with wide receiver John Ross, currently on injured reserve. Cornerback Darqueze Dennard was also on the rehab field with a hamstring issue and that probably can't be a surprise. Last Sunday Dennard played well and often (70 snaps) after his first three days of practice of the season following a stint on the physically unable to perform list (PUP) with a knee problem.
Starting cornerback William Jackson III (shoulder), who missed last Sunday's game, was on the practice field and went full go. Dre Kirkpatrick (knee), the other starter who also was out against the Jags, was still using crutches at times earlier this week.
Two starting offensive linemen who missed the Jags, left tackle Andre Smith (ankle) and right guard John Miller (groin), were also on the field and Taylor said they have a shot to play this week. But he was less optimistic about Dunlap. All three were limited Wednesday.
Glenn practiced full go Wednesday for the first time since last week's reports said he had a confrontation with a coach after a practice last week. He had been cleared to practice but reports said he objected to how the Bengals handled his injury.
Asked how he could continue to implement his culture of accountability by bringing Glenn back, Taylor said, "Everything is a case-by-case basis. That's the approach we take today and excited to see what he can do at practice … With all our players we want to operate in the culture we're setting forth, you communicate with every player on this team daily on the things you want done."
Quarterback Andy Dalton called it like this: "We want everybody that's out there to be ready to go and to give full effort and to be all-in on everything we're doing. If he's up to that and doing exactly what Zac wants and doing what this team is built on, we'll accept him back. We want everyone to buy into what we're doing. I'm not saying he is, and I'm not saying he isn't. You want everyone to be on the same page."
- During two seasons on the Rams staff Taylor and head coach Sean McVay shared more good times than bad and McVay is impressed with how Taylor has handled the 0-7 start. They've talked a bit since Taylor took the job and once in the last couple of weeks, but McVay is hesitant call what he's doling out advice.
"We keep in touch because we are friends and just checking in," said McVay on Wednesday's conference call with the Cincinnati reporters. "One of the things I appreciate and like so much is what a class act he continues to epitomize in terms of how you handle things. You keep it moving and you put your head down and go back to work and work hard and continue to try to be solution-oriented. It's not necessarily any advice it's more we kind of call and keep in touch. It will be a lot better after this game where I think we can speak a little bit more openly."
- With Ken Anderson in attendance in London, Dalton can break his record Sunday for most Bengals career touchdown passes with two, giving him 198.
