Palmer may throw in practice

STAFF REPORT

Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer is doing well in his comeback from an elbow injury and might throw in practice this week, another indication that he won't need surgery.

Head coach Marvin Lewis said Monday that Palmer is throwing hard in his personal workouts and having no problems with the elbow.

Palmer has a partially torn ligament and tendon in the right elbow, which was injured in the third game of the season.

Palmer rested the elbow for two months and resumed throwing two weeks ago. Lewis said he might be allowed to do some limited throwing in practice this week, though he's not going to play in the Bengals' last two games of the season.

"It would be fun for him to get back into the practice routine of being out there totally with the guys, and that would be good," Lewis said. "Again, the healing process is going well, and we don't want to do anything to jeopardize that."

The ligament and tendon were partially torn from the bone when his arm was hit by Corey Webster while he threw a pass in an overtime loss to the Giants. Palmer sat out the next game, then played the entire game in a loss at Dallas. He noticed he couldn't throw the ball as hard as usual in that game.

Doctors advised two months of rehabilitation without throwing a football, hoping the injury would heal without surgery. Few NFL quarterbacks have had reconstructive elbow surgery, and Palmer considers it a last resort.

Palmer has said that he wished he could play again this season for the 2-11-1 Bengals, but he understands it's up to the team. The Bengals are being cautious until doctors conclude the injury has fully healed.

"We've got two weeks left," Lewis said. "I'm not going to sit here and say he's going to play in the games, but he's doing well and we have a chance to still progress him another step further and closer, so that's a good thing."