Ed Reed is taking a step in the right direction.
NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported Friday that the Houston Texans plan to take the veteran safety off the physically unable to perform list, according to a person informed of the impending transaction.
Reed's availability for the Sept. 9 season opener against the San Diego Chargers remains up in the air. Texans coach Gary Kubiak told reporters Friday that Reed has been "idle" the past five days after receiving hip injections from his surgeon in Colorado. He will be cleared to return in some capacity Saturday.
"We're hoping to do some field drills Monday and Tuesday with our extra days with him, with (head athletic trainer Geoff Kaplan)," Kubiak said. "We'll probably make a quick decision early in the week, Monday or Tuesday, on his availability for San Diego. We're sitting here hoping and we'll see how that goes."
Like the New England Patriots' possible plan with Rob Gronkowski, keeping Reed off the PUP list ensures Houston won't automatically lose one of its top players for six games. Also like Gronkowski, getting Reed back in the lineup sooner -- even if it's only one game -- would make it the right decision.
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