Earlier this preseason, it became clear that New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski wouldn’t start the regular season healthy. With that known, the questions began centering on how much time the All-Pro would miss. It sounds like the Patriots expect Gronkowski to miss less than six weeks of the regular season, as Albert Breer of NFL.com reports that New England is leaning towards moving the tight end onto the 53-man roster this weekend.

By placing Gronkowski on the 53-man roster, the Patriots would be removing him from the physically unable to perform list. If the tight end starts the season on the PUP list, he’d have to be inactive through at least the first six weeks of the regular season.

Just because Gronkowski will start the regular season on the Patriots’ active roster doesn’t mean he’ll be starting the new campaign healthy. Breer points out that Gronkowski still isn’t expected to return until at least late September.

Still, this has to be good news for the Patriots, as it would seem to indicate that Gronkowski will return prior to Week 6. The dynamic tight end has been sidelined throughout the preseason as he’s recovered from surgeries on his forearm and back.