CINCINNATI — 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.

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 any of the Bengals' last two games.

"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 while he threw a pass in a 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.

The Bengals (2-11-1) have no plans to play Palmer in their remaining games, at Cleveland and at home against Kansas City. Palmer has said that he wished he could play, 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."

The Bengals went 0-4 behind Palmer. Backup Ryan Fitzpatrick led them to a 20-13 victory Sunday over Washington that left him 2-7-1 as the starter. The victory ensured that the Bengals won't have the top pick in the draft — Detroit is 0-14 — and will avoid the distinction of the worst team in franchise history. The 2002 Bengals finished a franchise-worst 2-14.