NFL: Julio Jones is ready to return for the Atlanta Falcons

All-Pro wide receiver Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons, who sat out the team’s last two games because of a sprained toe, will play Saturday against the Carolina Panthers, Coach Dan Quinn said Thursday.

“I thought he looked great,” Quinn said. “The last two days, he’s been building to where he can go and do his thing. The thing we wanted to check was can he cut and do the things he likes to do at full speed.”

Jones leads the NFL with 1,253 yards receiving.

The Falcons (9-5) can clinch the NFC South by beating the Panthers if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lose or tie at New Orleans.

Newton says team should sit Kuechly

Cam Newton said it makes no sense for the Panthers to play three-time All-Pro middle linebacker Luke Kuechly the remainder of the season after his second concussion in two years.

With Carolina’s chances of making the playoffs “minimal,” Newton said, Kuechly should rest and prepare for future seasons when the team has a realistic chance to reach the playoffs.

The Panthers (6-8) host the Falcons on Saturday and close the regular season at Tampa Bay on Jan. 1.

“Luke is a person that could potentially to be the greatest linebacker that has ever played — straight up,” Newton said. “ I don’t think, for me, I would want to jeopardize that for a long, long-term issue just to bring him back.”

The 25-year-old Kuechly, the NFL’s defensive player of the year in 2013 and a four-time Pro Bowl selection, has sat out Carolina’s last four games after suffering a concussion Nov. 17.

Green plans return

Wide receiver A.J. Green of the Cincinnati Bengals, sidelined for more than a month because of a hamstring injury, said that he will play Saturday night against the Houston Texans.

The Bengals will miss the playoffs for the first time in his six-year career, but Green said, “I’m not the type of guy to shut it down just to bail out on my team because we are not having the season we wanted to have. That’s a cowardly move to me. If I’m healthy, I’m going to play. And I feel like I’m healthy enough to play this week.”

Etc.

New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has been fined $18,000 by the NFL for wearing unapproved cleats against the Detroit Lions, two people familiar with the fine told the Associated Press. Beckham wore cleats honoring the late broadcaster Craig Sager, who lost his lengthy battle with cancer last week. Beckham planned to auction off the cleats for charity. ... Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden said he has been playing through two groin injuries will have surgery right after the season. Haden, who was named a Pro Bowl alternate this week, injured his left groin in September and his right groin in October. ... Eager Green Bay Packers fans flocked to Lambeau Field to help shovel snow before Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. The Packers asked for up to 650 people to help remove snow after a recent storm dumped several inches in the area.