Oakland Is Just Not Prepared To Unleash Bush

Michael Bush’s NFL running career certainly isn’t starting in a rush.

The rookie from Louisville is eligible to practice with the Raiders for the first time since the start of training camp. But the Raiders aren’t quite ready for Bush, who is recuperating from a broken shin bone that he suffered last season against Kentucky.

Bush, 23, was placed on the physically-unable-to-perform list at the start of training camp and left there when final roster cuts were made. He was ineligible to practice with teammates or play in games for the season’s first six weeks.

Now the Raiders have three weeks to activate Bush otherwise he has to be released or placed on injured reserve Nov. 5.

He spent Wednesday stretching, running and doing individual drills on a field adjacent to his teammates. Bush said he no longer feels the effects from the broken bone.

Despite being in limbo, Bush has remained upbeat.

“I’m still day-to-day, unless someone gets hurt,” he said. “I knew that going into the season, so this isn’t a surprise. It’s out of my hands. I can’t get down. I could be in a worse situation. If I don’t play this year, I just look at it as I saved my body for another year of pounding.”

• Opening-game starting quarterback Josh McCown practiced Wednesday for the first time since suffering from a broken big toe in the first quarter of Oakland’s game against the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 23.