If James Harrison injured knee does not improve, it’s possible the Steelers’ linebacker may need arthroscopic surgery before the season starts to get him ready for the opener, the Beaver County Times reported Tuesday.
The Steelers expect Harrison to be ready for the season opener. But he has yet to practice and remains on the physically unable to perform list because of swelling in his knee caused by an irritation behind his kneecap.
“With the exception of this little knee thing, James is probably healthier now that he’s been in three years,” said Bill Parise, Harrison’s agent, told the Times. “He’s extremely fit. He just has to get this irritation behind his knee cap cleared up. That’s what’s causing the swelling, and (the Steelers) just want to get rid of that.
“So we might even look at doing a scope of that to get it cleaned up. We’ll just have to wait see how it plays out.”
Parise expects Harrison to be taken off the PUP list in a week or two so he can test his knee and see how it responds.
If the swelling continues, Harrison may have arthroscopic surgery, which would allow Harrison time to be ready for the Sept. 9 opener in Denver.