Andy Dalton indicated this week that his broken right thumb is finally healthy but he'll continue to wait to begin throwing.

"Not throwing yet because we are being very conservative with it," Dalton said in a text to Geoff Hobson of the team's official website. "I feel like I can throw but no reason to push anything right now. I have plenty of time now to get 100 percent."

Dalton may have been ready to return only if the Cincinnati Bengals advanced to the Super Bowl.