Michael Rothstein, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

TJ Jones will come off PUP list soon

BAGSHOT, England -- TJ Jones has been frustrated. Every day he has had to sit and watch is one more moment of his rookie year gone because of a nerve issue in his arm.

What started with offseason shoulder surgery turned into being unable to practice at the start of training camp. It led to Jones being placed on the team's Physically Unable to Perform list, which he was eligible to come off last week. The team didn't make that move then and still hasn't, but that time is coming.

Detroit Lions general manager Martin Mayhew said Thursday they plan on Jones practicing soon to evaluate whether to activate him or shelve him for the season.

"We're going to bring him off some time in the next few weeks, bring him off the PUP and let him practice and we'll see what he does," Mayhew said. "Obviously injured pretty early in the process, so it'll just depend how he performs when he comes off PUP."

If the Lions do activate him, he would be joining a crowded wide receiver corps with Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate, Jeremy Ross and Corey Fuller in somewhat established roles. Then there is Ryan Broyles, who Mayhew said "will get an opportunity," but has largely been a non-factor when he has been active.

So even if Jones is able to play, there might not be much room for him to do so.

He told ESPN two weeks ago that his grip strength -- the last thing to come back following a nerve issue -- is "making improvements," but he didn't want to give a timetable of when he would be available.

Once the Lions do let him start practicing, the team will have a three-week window to activate him or end his season.

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