Bengals rookie CB Dre Kirkpatrick may not make his preseason debut in Thursday's finale after feeling soreness in his left knee on Monday. "We're still looking at him," coach Marvin Lewis said. "He had some soreness in the knee yesterday and we just want to make sure. We've got a lot of time, so just keep working with him." Kirkpatrick still sounds like he'll be fine for Week 1, but admittedly raw after "never" backpedalling in college, it's a concern that he'll enter the regular season with zero live reps.

Rookie CB Dre Kirkpatrick has been medically cleared to return from his knee injury and resumed practicing at Bengals camp. NFL Network reported in late July that Kirkpatrick would miss 4-6 weeks with a fractured knee bone. Later reports were more optimistic, and Kirkpatrick wound up missing just over three weeks of training camp. While Kirkpatrick seems unlikely to earn a Week 1 starting job, he now has a good chance to be an early-season contributor. It's very positive news for Cincinnati's secondary.

Bengals rookie CB Dre Kirkpatrick (knee) conducted a "vigorous workout" before Thursday's preseason game. The No. 17 pick remains on the camp/PUP list, but it sounds like he could be ready for Cincinnati's preseason finale on August 30. Originally pegged as a Week 1 starter, Kirkpatrick will likely be limited to nickel and dime duties early in the regular season.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis says first-round CB Dre Kirkpatrick is "pretty far along now" with his knee injury, and insists it's "really a minor" issue. "It's a setback for him because he is going to have to take some time but the good thing is he's here with our people, he's done everything asked of him, it's been a couple of weeks so he's pretty far along now with it," Lewis said. "Really too much gets made of this stuff and I know there's nothing else important and I know that's the deal." Even if Lewis is right, Kirkpatrick should be far enough behind that he won't be in for a big role early in the season.

Bengals first-round CB Dre Kirkpatrick says there is no bone break in his knee.

NFL Network reports that Bengals first-round pick Dre Kirkpatrick will miss six weeks with a fractured knee bone. The timeline almost certainly takes him out of the mix to be a Week 1 starter. A six-week knee injury would sideline Kirkpatrick into early September, costing him the entirety of training camp and the preseason. Kirkpatrick may end up having a rookie year similar to Prince Amukamara's in New York last year. Look for Nate Clements and Terence Newman to be locked into roster spots now, and potentially Pacman Jones, too. The Bengals' pass defense will be one to target early and often for fantasy football matchup purposes.

NFL.com's Jason La Canfora reports No. 17 pick CB Dre Kirkpatrick has suffered an injury in the "knee area" that could sideline him for "much of camp."

No. 17 pick Dre Kirkpatrick says he "never backpedaled" in college.

Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer doesn't expect Bengals first-round CB Dre Kirkpatrick to open the season as a starter. Reedy predicts Cincy's starting corners will be Leon Hall and Nate Clements on Opening Day. He also suggested Kirkpatrick hasn't looked NFL ready so far at OTAs. It's worth noting that Kareem Jackson came out of Alabama profiling relatively similarly to Kirkpatrick. Jackson wasn't ready as a rookie, either.

No. 17 pick CB Dre Kirkpatrick has been sitting out of Bengals OTAs with a groin injury. However, he could return to the practice field before the end of the week. How much playing time Kirkpatrick gets as a rookie will depend on how quickly RCB Leon Hall progresses in his recovery from a torn Achilles and if the Bengals opt to keep LCB Nate Clements and his $5.5 millon cap number. Even if he doesn't begin the year as a starter, Kirkpatrick will be in for plenty of snaps.