Phidarian Mathis practiced with the Washington Commanders on Wednesday to open a 21-day window in which the NFL team can restore the former Alabama defensive lineman to its active roster.

Mathis has been on injured reserve since Aug. 30.

Mathis sustained a calf injury in the Commanders’ preseason opener on Aug. 11 against the Cleveland Browns.

Because Mathis was on Washington’s active roster after the Commanders reduced their preseason roster to the regular-season limit of 53 players on Aug. 29, he is eligible to return from injured reserve this season.

Mathis has missed seven games so far.

“This week, we wanted to make sure we got him up and got him going to see where he is, first and foremost, before we do activate him,” Commanders coach Ron Rivera said on Wednesday. “And then once we do make a decision, obviously, we’ve got to decide how we want to integrate him into the group as far as being a guy that’ll be up on game day.”

Washington has two Pro Bowl defensive tackles – Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne, who also are Alabama alumni.

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If the Commanders do not active Mathis during the next three weeks, he will remain on injured reserve for the rest of the season.

Mathis joined Washington in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. But he has played in only one regular-season game for the Commanders.

Mathis sustained a torn meniscus on the third snap of his NFL career in Washington’s first game of the 2022 season, and he spent the rest of the campaign on injured reserve.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.