Joe Jurevicius on PUP List Does Not Rule Out Week 1 Suit-Up

In a radio interview with WTAM 1100 this morning, Cleveland Browns general manager Phil Savage commented on the team's plans for wide receiver Joe Jurevicius, who is coming off of multiple surgeries:

"It's been pretty frustrating for everybody because this started as an innocent knee scope back in January, and it's morphed itself into multiple procedures," Savage said in the radio interview Thursday.

"Obviously every time he's taken a step forward, it's been two steps back. So it's a bit up in the air right now ... He's going to be looked at again obviously next week before we get started and probably will start on that PUP list."

Link (ESPN)

Unfortunately, I think that writers like ESPN's James Walker and Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio jumped the gun when reporting that this is almost an automatic that Jurevicius will miss the first six weeks of the season.

In the radio quote above, Savage stated that a decision would be made "before we get started" next week. That means right before training camp.

By league rules, the only way a player can be placed on the PUP list is if it is done prior to training camp starting. That creates an extra roster spot for the Browns to bring somebody in -- perhaps a fourth quarterback. If Jurevicius is ready to come back a few weeks in to training camp, or right before the start of the regular season, he is eligible to play Week 1. Only if Jurevicius is left on the PUP after training camp is over will he have to wait until after Week 6 to play.

Personally, I think Jurevicius will miss the first six weeks at least. But, for the time being, he's only confirmed to miss the start of training camp, before being day-to-day for all we know after that.