Bengals' A.J. Green Expected to Make Season Debut vs. Ravens After Ankle Injury

The Cincinnati Bengals expect A.J. Green to play in their Week 10 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens, head coach Zac Taylor told reporters Wednesday.

Green has yet to make his 2019 debut after undergoing ankle surgery in July. He told NFL Network's Omar Ruiz in October he was looking to play against the Ravens as Cincinnati's bye in Week 9 allowed him a little extra preparation time.

He practiced with the team to open the week.

Many wondered whether Green would still be on the Bengals by this point of the season.

Cincinnati is 0-8 and likely to finish with the NFL's worst record, while Green is set to be a free agent in the offseason. Connect the two and trading the seven-time Pro Bowler would have been a smart move.

Instead, the Bengals held on to all of their notable veterans: Green, Carlos Dunlap, Tyler Eifert, Geno Atkins and Dre Kirkpatrick. CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora reported every one of those players were the subject of outside interest.

The frustration of one NFC general manager was palpable when he spoke to La Canfora about Cincinnati: "They are basically philosophically opposed to the idea of making trades. It's a waste of time to call them. But we did. And it is what it is. You may as well be speaking a different language."

Perhaps Green and the Bengals have already opened discussions about a long-term extension.

In an interview with The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr., he expressed admiration for Larry Fitzgerald, who has spent his entire career with the Arizona Cardinals:

"I always looked at Larry and his situation and how he handled things and wanted to model my game like his. "Never in the media, always in the media for positive things. That's the biggest thing for me is just watching him. I watch from a distance and how he carries himself on the field. I try to model my game like that."

Cincinnati may have also reached the conclusion it wanted to have Green around as it transitioned to Ryan Finley at quarterback.

The team confirmed Finley will open the Ravens game as the starter, seemingly bringing an end to the Andy Dalton era. The second half of the season can be an audition for the 2019 fourth-round draft pick, with the Bengals likely to look at a long-term replacement for Dalton in the 2020 draft.

Having the Bengals' No. 1 wideout will aid in Finley's development.