Richard Skinner

rskinner@nky.com

Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said on Wednesday that linebacker Vontaze Burfict faces a decision concerning his knee: Is more surgery the answer, or more rehabilitation?

Burfict was placed on season-ending injured reserve on Tuesday as his knee never healed enough following the Oct. 29 surgery to allow him to return. Burfict missed the last six games and was seen as recently as last week still limping noticeably in the locker room.

"He's heard from a lot of different people (their) recommendations, and then he's going to have to make a decision on what's best to go forward," Lewis said.

Burfict suffered the injury on the first drive of the Oct. 26 home game against Baltimore. He finished that game thinking it was initially just a bad bruise, but then had surgery three days later. At that time Lewis said the surgery was done because something was found floating in the knee and it was decided the best decision would be to clean it out and try to get him back before the end of the season.

Lewis said on the day that Burfict had surgery that Burfict had "a shot" to return for the Nov. 16 game at New Orleans depending on the rehab process.

Lewis was asked on Wednesday if there had been a setback in his rehabilitation or if the initial timeline for his return was too optimistic.

"Well, we don't ever give a timeline on a diagnosis," Lewis said. "Each injury has to be treated through the treatment, through the rehab, through surgery, whatever is affected, and then go from there, but we can't put a timeline on a player. We try not ever to. Sometimes the player makes the decision to have the treatment go a certain way, based on how can I get back if I can, but ultimately, the decision has got to be based on his career going further and going out. At times if things aren't going that way then we've got to encourage them to take more drastic actions at times."

Lewis said Burfict will make his decision on whether or not to have surgery in the next few days, and initially said he expects Burfict to be just fine by the start of next season, but then backed away from that.

"I shouldn't put a timeline on it," said Lewis. "We'll see."

INJURY REPORT: Three of the Bengals' top five cornerbacks either didn't practice on Wednesday or were limited participants.

Dre Kirkpatrick (ribs) and Adam Jones (chest) did not participate, while Terence Newman (ankle) was a limited participant.

Others who did not practice were: defensive end Margus Hunt (ankle), who missed the last three games since suffering an ankle injury in the Nov. 16 game at New Orleans; wide receiver James Wright (knee), who missed this past Sunday's game; kicker Mike Nugent, whose father, Daniel, passed away on Monday; and guard Mike Pollak (knee), who has missed at least one day of practice each week this season for rest.

NOTEWORTHY: Offensive coordinator Hue Jackson said on Wednesday that he is leaning toward using either Jeremy Hill or Giovani Bernard in more of a lead running back role this Sunday as opposed to them splitting the playing time as they have the last three games since Bernard returned from a three-game absence due to injury.

"I'm used to having one guy kind of dominate some carries because in order for backs to be really good, they've got to get lathered up to play," said Jackson. "You've got to get a feel for the game. We have two capable guys and they're different guys and we'll let it play itself out, but I think we have a pretty good idea which way we're headed."

The Bengals and the U.S. Marine Corps announced on Wednesday the results of 2014 Toys for Tots collection that was held at this past Sunday's game and fans contributed 5,470 new toys and $48,888 in cash donations. That is double what was collected in previous years.