The clock is ticking for the Browns to make a decision on Shaun Rogers' roster status.
The Browns have until the end of the exhibition season on Sept. 4 to determine Shaun Rogers' status for the start of the NFL regular season.BEREA, Ohio -- Coach Eric Mangini would not rule out Shaun Rogers opening the regular season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. If that happened, the defensive lineman would miss a minimum of six weeks.
Rogers has been on preseason PUP while rehabbing from off-season ankle surgery. He has not been cleared to practice with the team.
Mangini said he hopes to see "some movement" next week regarding Rogers' progress and that of lineman C.J. Mosley and cornerback Coye Francies, who also have not practiced.
When asked if Rogers would be able to open the season on the active roster, Mangini said, "I don't want to put any definitive timeline on it. We'll see where it is."
The deadline for reassessing the status of players on preseason PUP is at the final roster cut on Sept. 4. At that time, Rogers could be made active, placed on season-ending injured reserve or put on regular PUP.
Players that enter the season on PUP are ineligible to practice or play through the first six weeks of the season. After the sixth week, the player has a 21-day window to start practicing. After the first day he practices, the club then has another 21 days to decide whether to activate him.
The NFL still has not ruled whether Rogers will have to serve a suspension for his gun-related arrest on April 1. According to a league spokesman, any suspension would be served concurrently during a player's stay on any injured list.
Back to work: Rookie guard Shawn Lauvao was back at practice after missing last week to return to his home in Hawaii for personal reasons.
"It feels good to be back," Lauvao said. "I just had some personal things I had to take care of back home. The coaches have been more than supportive and my teammates, too.
"For the most part, when I'm here I just want to focus on football. I'm just going to try to take care of what's in front of me, is my thing."
With veteran Floyd Womack idled the rest of preseason with a knee injury, the starting right guard spot belongs to Lauvao.
"It's a tremendous blessing, I can't thank God enough," Lauvao said. "I'm just going to keep competing, keep working at it, do whatever the coaches tell me to do."
Mangini said Lauvao might have to return home to Hawaii again "at some point."
Comings and going: Returning to practice also were receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, right tackle Tony Pashos and linebacker David Bowens. Right tackle John St. Clair was excused for personal reasons.
The Browns also waived/injured Kwaku Danso, the big defensive lineman from Ghana. Danso, whose college career consisted of three plays at East Carolina, was trying to make it as a nose tackle.
Motor City test: When the Browns bus to Detroit for Saturday's exhibition game against the Lions, they'll find an improved four-man defensive front built in the mold of coach Jim Schwartz's defensive teams at Tennessee.
Former Brown Corey Williams has joined No. 2 overall draft choice Ndamukong Suh as the starting tackles. The ends are Cliff Avril and former Titan Kyle Vanden Bosch.
"They are able to get pressure on the quarterback by just rushing four," Mangini said. "That's a much improved group and I think they have done a really nice job."
The Lions, who edged the Browns, 38-37, in the regular season last year, bolstered their offense with receiver Nate Burleson, guard Rob Sims, tight end Tony Scheffler and rookie running back Jahvid Best.