ESPN NFL

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- The New York Jets certainly could use a healthy Curtis Martin in their struggling backfield.

	Martin

Coach Eric Mangini said he and Martin have discussed the possibility of the NFL's No. 4 career rusher rejoining the team when he's eligible to come off the physically-unable-to-perform list after this weekend's game.

"It's not something we're setting any timetable on," Mangini said Wednesday. "It's more of going through the process, seeing how it feels, getting into more football-specific activities."

Martin underwent surgery in December on his right knee, but was slow to recover. He was placed on the PUP list before training camp started so he could continue to rehabilitate the knee. Mangini would offer no indication Wednesday on how Martin's rehab is going or when -- or if -- he'll be able to rejoin the team.

According to NFL rules, a player on the PUP list can't be cleared to practice until after Week 6. So, after this weekend's game against Miami, the Jets have three weeks to decide whether to allow him to start practicing with the team. Once Martin is cleared to practice, the team would have three weeks from that date to either place him on the active roster or put him on injured reserve and end his season.

When asked if there's a possibility he could be cleared to practice immediately and then play next week, Mangini offered only, "Theoretically, yes."

"It could be as early as that or it could be right down to the wire," he said. "The key thing for us is to make sure that when it does happen, it's the best decision, it's the right time and he's completely ready."

The 33-year-old Martin, in his 12th season, has 14,101 career yards rushing and won the 2004 NFL rushing title. He injured the knee in Week 2, but ended up playing in 12 games before breaking a streak of 119 consecutive regular-season starts and his string of 10 straight 1,000-yard seasons to start a career, a record he shares with Barry Sanders.

When it became apparent they wouldn't have Martin to start the season, the Jets traded for Kevan Barlow and have used him in a rotation that has included rookie Leon Washington, second-year back Cedric Houston and veteran Derrick Blaylock.

The running game has sputtered most of the season and is tied for 29th in the NFL with 3.2 yards per carry. And that number was boosted from the first few weeks by Washington's 101-yard game last Sunday at Jacksonville.

Houston, inactive the first two weeks, appeared to spark the offense before injuring his left knee against Indianapolis two weeks ago. He's not sure when he'll be ready to play again.

"I'm not going to push it," Houston said. "Whenever they feel it's time for me to get back out there and play, I'll be ready to go."

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press