Baltimore Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta will remain on the physically unable to perform list to start the season, coach John Harbaugh said Tuesday.
That means Pitta will miss at least the first six games of the regular season. Pitta has not been cleared to play after undergoing two hip surgeries in the past two seasons.
"There's no urgency at this time," Harbaugh said. "We'll be talking about a midseason type of thing if he did it. We just have to see where it goes."
This has been a frustrating two seasons for Pitta. After catching a career-high 61 passes in the Ravens' 2012 Super Bowl season, Pitta has been limited to seven games in 2013 and 2014 because of two surgeries to his right hip.
Crockett Gillmore is expected to begin the season as the starting tight end, and the Ravens braced for the loss of Pitta by drafting Maxx Williams in the second round and Nick Boyle in the fifth round this year.
"The one thing about Dennis, and the thing that probably you realize is that there is more to it than just can he play," Harbaugh said. "Can he play? Should he play? Will he be cleared to play? And what does being cleared to play entail in terms of liability and things like that. There's a lot to it that needs to be worked out. I get the impression that he wants to play. He's rehabbing like crazy. He has to make the decision if it's the best thing for him going forward."
Pitta has repeatedly indicated to reporters that he wants to play again.
"Hopefully, I will be on the field this year," Pitta said last month."It's still a little bit up in the air."