Curry returns to practice for first time since May

ALAMEDA -- Linebacker Aaron Curry, who has been sidelined with knee issues since May and on the PUP list since the start of the season, was practicing Wednesday with the Raiders.Curry last practiced during the Raiders' first session of OTA's in mid-May. On May 22, he was seen working out on the side and had not participated in practice since.The Raiders now have 21 days to evaluate him and decide whether to activate him, place him on season-ending Injured Reserve or release him."We're going to get him out there and let him run around and see where he's at and begin the evaluation process to figure out if and when he's going to be available to be on the roster," Raiders coach Dennis Allen said Monday.Curry underwent stem-cell treatments on both knees using bone marrow from his hips this summer."It's the only thing that's helping me recover," Curry told CSNCalifornia.com at the time. "Without it, I'd be a lost cause. For sure."I'm just able to do things that I wasn't able to quite do in OTAs and minicamps when I was trying to fight through what I thought was just regular soreness or tendinitis. But it's a great procedure. Simple, fast, and I'm just excited about being able to bounce back as quick as I am."But Wednesday was the first time he was suited up and ready to go since at least May 15.And while Curry is a weakside linebacker by trade, Allen said he's used his time off tostudy up on all three spots. Conditioning, of course, will be key in his return."I think health-wise, he's going to be O.K.," Allen said. "It's the fact of being able to get back into football shape and football condition, really, in a short period of time because he hadnt been able to do really any football activity basically since last year for the most part. He was able to do a little something in OTAs, but really its been since last year since hes really been able to play football. Thatll be the biggest thing that hes got to be able to do."Curry, the No. 4 overall pick of the 2009 draft, was acquired last year from Seattle for a seventh-round pick in the 2012 draft and a conditional fourth-rounder in 2013.
Newly signed practice squad tight end Mickey Shuler was practicing, wearing No. 47. His signing was officially announced by the Raiders on Tuesday. Offensive tackle Nick Mondek was released from the practice squad in the corresponding move.There was still no sign of the injured trio of right tackle Khalif Barnes (groin), cornerback Shawntae Spencer (right foot) or tight end Richard Gordon (hamstring) during the media window of practice.