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The Cincinnati Bengals on Wednesday elected to keep oft-injured running back Chris Perry on the league's physically unable to perform (PUP) list, meaning that the fourth-year veteran will not play at all in 2007.

Chris Perry

Running Back
Cincinnati Bengals

Profile

2007 Season Stats

Rush	Yds	TD	Rec	Yds	TD
-	-	-	-	-	-

Under league rules governing PUP players, Wednesday was the final day for the Bengals to elevate Perry to the active roster. A potential big-player performer who began each of the past two seasons on the physically unable to perform list, Perry had returned to practice on Nov. 7, starting the clock on the three-week evaluation window available to the team.

But with starting tailback Rudi Johnson nearly back to 100 percent after battling injuries earlier in the season, and Cincinnati relatively healthy again at the position, club officials decided not to risk putting Perry on the field this year.

"If they needed me to play this year, I would have been more than happy to," Perry said Wednesday. "But honestly, having this time to get into game shape is a great opportunity. So I'm not really disappointed. I'm just taking it in stride and getting ready for next year.

"Honestly, I guess everybody feels this is the best decision."

The team's first-round choice in the 2004 draft, Perry has undergone two surgeries to address a dislocated ankle suffered last Nov. 26 against the Cleveland Browns.

This marks the third time in four years that Perry finished a season on either PUP or injured reserve. In four seasons, he has now played in only 22 games, including three seasons in which he made six appearances or fewer.

Perry, 25, has been limited the former University of Michigan star to three career starts.

In his 2004 rookie campaign, Perry suffered hamstring and abdominal injuries. A left ankle injury late in 2005 cut short that season and, because of the rehabilitation involved, he opened the 2006 season on the physically unable to perform list. Then last year, after being activated from PUP, he suffered the dislocated ankle in his sixth appearance of the season.

A healthy Perry would have been a boost to the Bengals, because he would provide some versatility to the Cincinnati backfield with his receiving skills and ability to occasionally break the long run. But the Bengals' brass has to now wonder if Perry will stay healthy long enough to even approach his potential.

A Heisman Trophy finalist in 2003, and winner of the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top college running back that year, Perry was the 26th overall prospect chosen in the 2004 draft. For his NFL career, Perry has carried 73 times for 337 yards and no touchdowns, and has 63 receptions for 403 yards and two scores. He had 51 catches in 2005, just four shy of the team record for a running back.

Senior writer Len Pasquarelli covers the NFL for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press contributed to this story.