On Friday, the Cincinnati Bengals made it clear that wide receiver AJ Green would not make his season debut in Week 12. However, they did not shut him down for the rest of the season. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor — who has yet to win a game — gave his reasoning for not shutting down Green. He wants the star wide-out to feel comfortable when he returns. Rushing it isn't doing him favors.

“Because if it’s Monday, he might feel like he’s ready to start practicing again.So I don’t want to make any predictions for the rest of the year,” Taylor said on Friday, via the team's official website. “Just planting off of it right now, I think is a little uncomfortable for him. We’ll get to that point where he feels comfortable and he’ll be ready to go.”

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AJ Green has missed his last 14 eligible games and 17 of the last 18 with torn ligaments in his ankle in 2019 and a toe injury in 2018. The Bengals and Zac Taylor are not trying to risk re-injury to the 31-year-old, who has already missed more time than previously expected. He did not participate in most of the training camp.

Green is a free agent after seasons end. Despite the Bengals' winless record, he has not pointed to wanting to leave. If Mike Brown and Co. can cough up the money to sign him to a long-term deal, that is. Perhaps the hope in Cincinnati is to tank out the rest of the year, resign him and begin winning games in 2019.