ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Linebacker Aaron Curry returned to practice with the Oakland Raiders for the first time since May after dealing with nagging knee problems in recent months.
Curry began the season on the physically unable to perform list and was unable to practice for the first six weeks. He made his first appearance on the field on Wednesday, starting a three-week window for Oakland to decide whether to activate him, release him or place him on season-ending injured reserve.
Curry is working at all three linebacker spots for now after playing mostly on the weakside last season in his first year with the Raiders.
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"He looked good," coach Dennis Allen said. "He moved around well. I think the key is to see how he responds tomorrow and we'll continue to monitor him as we go through the week."
Curry told CSN California during training camp that he underwent stem-cell treatments on both knees using bone marrow from his hips this summer.
Curry, the fourth overall pick by Seattle in 2009, was acquired by Oakland in a midseason trade last year for a seventh-round pick in 2012 and a conditional fifth-rounder in 2013. He played in 11 games for the Raiders and had 32 solo tackles and two fumble recoveries. He was expected to start at weakside linebacker but was never healthy enough. Now the Raiders aren't sure where he will be used if he is activated.
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Allen said. "That's not a decision that we have to make right now. I think right now the biggest thing is to see where he's at physically, see how he responds to a couple of days of practice, how the knee responds to it. And then we'll make that decision when we need to."
Right guard Mike Brisiel also was back at practice Wednesday, three days after leaving a game with a concussion. Brisiel passed all his tests and was allowed back on the field for a full-pad practice.
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.
