Fox Sports had reported Sunday that Palmer was shut down for the season.

"Well, I don't know what the Fox report says. But the thing about it is we've got two weeks left," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said Monday. "I'm not going to sit here and say he's going to play in the games, but he is doing well and we have a chance to still progress him another step further and closer, so that's a good thing."

Palmer, who hasn't played since Oct. 5 at Dallas because of an inflamed right (throwing) elbow might get into the routine of practice for the final two weeks of the season.

"The healing process is going well, and we don't want to do anything to jeopardize that," Lewis said. "So ... the decision will be made based on that. We don't want to unfortunately have somebody inadvertently run into him or anything like that at this point, when we've waited so long and we are where we are with only two weeks to go."

Palmer might return to practice later this week as the team prepares for its game Sunday at Cleveland.

"He might have a chance to do something in practice, so can we just leave it at that? There's no reason to go any further," Lewis said.

At one point this season, Palmer said the ligament and tendon had detached from the bone in the elbow.

Palmer said he had hoped to avoid surgery and allow the elbow to heal on its own.

Lewis was asked if the progress Palmer has made had ruled out the possibility of an operation.

"I don't think anything will be final at any point until he's back at 100 percent playing," Lewis said.