AP

Wide receiver Percy Harvin is eligible to come off the physically unable to perform list beginning next week.

However, don’t expect him to appear in games just yet for the Seattle Seahawks.

Harvin has been sidelined since the start of training camp for Seattle and underwent surgery to repair his injured hip on August 1. His recovery has appeared to be ahead of schedule. Harvin is back to running already and returned to Seattle this week to continue his rehab with the team.

Harvin has been bullish on the thought he could return in time for Seattle’s matchup with the Arizona Cardinals next week but head coach Pete Carroll said that may be a little too optimistic.

“I don’t think that is realistic. I think that is too soon to expect that to happen,” Carroll said this week.

Because of the injury to his hip, Harvin was extremely limited in offseason workouts with the team and has barely been able to practice with the team. Seattle plays the Cardinals on Thursday night next week. Even if we assumed Harvin was 100-percent by Monday, the thought that Harvin could play on two real days of practice isn’t realistic.

Carroll said the team will take things cautiously with Harvin because they want him ready to play the remainder of the season once he gets back on the field.

“We want him to be able to endure the rigors of the end of the season,” Carroll said. “It’s not important to rush him back, it’s important to wait it out and be patient and get him out there when he’s ready to go and withstand the load of the game.”

Harvin can return to practice anytime over the course of the next five weeks. Once he begins practicing, the Seahawks will have a 21-day window in which he can practice with the team before they need to place him on their active roster or end his season.