Raiders roster cuts 2014: DJ Hayden PUP decision to go right up to deadline

Ever since D.J. Hayden went out injured in the first week of OTA's in May, the Raiders have wondered what his status would be. Now approaching four months later, that status is still uncertain. And his availability for the regular season is the next decision to be made.

The 2013 first round pick has been on the PUP list all of training camp and the decision now is whether to keep him on the PUP into the regular season, which would have him out at least six weeks before he is eligible to return. The deadline for making that move is August 30 when the team must cutdown the roster to the final 53.

"We're going to push it all the way up until the deadline, until we find out exactly where he is," Dennis Allen said Monday. "So, we'll wait and see what we have to do on that."

Hayden has worked with trainers on the side the past two days. But that isn't the ultimate deciding factor. If he isn't back to 100% and there is a risk for further injury. That decision will be made with the advice of the trainers, not the eye test.

"I watched him out there moving around with the trainers today, he looked a lot better," said Allen. "But that's one of those things you kinda, you visit with the trainers every day and find out how he did each particular day. He's making progress, that's for sure."

The Raiders will trim either more players from the roster by Tuesday. They will have three more days to decide the final 15 cuts as well as IR and PUP designations.

Follow @LeviDamien