Green participated in position drills Tuesday in the first practice open to the media since the injury, but he was not in for any 11-on-11 reps.
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“They just told me to take the week off and just come back for minicamp,” he said. “It was nothing serious. I just got kneed in my quad. So I’m back healthy. I’m good.”
With 556 catches, 8,213 yards, 57 touchdowns and seven Pro Bowl selections during his seven-year career, Green – and the Bengals offense as a whole – won’t suffer if he misses a few practices.
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But Green said it’s important for him to be back on the field for minicamp to get more familiar with the new offense being installed by Bill Lazor in his first full season as coordinator.
“The new offense is hard, but anything you do for the first time you’re not comfortable,” Green said. “But as each week comes we’re getting more comfortable, Andy’s getting more comfortable. All the receivers, we’re learning our spots. So it’s getting easier.”
The Bengals mandatory minicamp runs Tuesday through Thursday at Paul Brown Stadium and will be the last team activity until training camp begins at the end of July.
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Green joked that he might have another injury to worry about next week.
“My shoulder’s a little sore,” he quipped after throwing dozens of passes to 250 youths in Grades 1-8 at his A.J. Green Football ProCamp, which he’s been holding since 2012.
“It’s fun to come out here with the kids and to give back,” Green added. “I didn’t have this growing up. This city took me in seven years ago, and I just try to be the best role model for these kids and for the Bengals that I can because they’ve done so much for me.”
Green worked his way from group to group throwing passes to and catching passes from each camper, but he said the day isn’t all about football. He said he enjoys some of the offbeat questions he gets from some of the younger participants.
He said the most popular question Friday centered on a non-football topic even though it happened on a football field.
"Everybody is asking me about Jalen Ramsey and why did I hit him," he said, referring to the fight with the Jacksonville cornerback that earned Green an ejection on Nov. 5.
“It’s hard to explain that to those kids,” Green added. “I just told them I overreacted and don’t ever get mad.”
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