The Cincinnati Bengals were hoping that A.J. Green would be out just four weeks after he was carted off the field with an ankle injury.
However, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday that Green has torn ligaments in his left ankle that will likely keep him on the sideline from six to eight weeks, and that he will not be ready for the regular-season opener against Seattle.
This is a brutal blow for a team that was already facing an uphill climb to start the season under rookie head coach Zac Taylor.
When healthy, Green is among the NFL’s best all-around receivers. He was on fire last year before a toe injury derailed his campaign. In nine games, he caught 46 passes for 694 yards and six touchdowns.
The injury is also untimely for Green in that he was hoping to discuss a contract extension with the Bengals. Now that his injury has turned out to be a bit more serious than initially thought, those talks could be placed on hold.