AP

Bengals safety Shawn Williams is still going to miss some time, but at least he isn’t going to need surgery.

Via Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said Williams was recovering well.

“Everything’s great,” Lewis said. “As he said, he’s not going to let them keep a good man down. He’s in a brace and moving very well. He’s way ahead of where the doctors thought he would be.”

The initial reports suggested he might miss at least four-to-six weeks, if not half the season.

“He wants to be there on opening day, so he’s doing everything he can to get himself back,” Lewis said. “Really a lot of times with that kind of injury it’s what happens overnight and how much swelling does it get and everything. It’s been pretty minimal.

“He’s been able to get right to work, which is key for that thing. Let everything calm down and let it, I guess, rejuvenate back once the body gets rid of the trauma.”

The Bengals also had to work around their other starting safety dealing with an injury, though George Iloka has been able to return to practice.