Tag: Pup

5 Patriots players eligible to return from IR/PUP lists this week

Five players on IR/PUP lists are eligible to return for the Patriots this week

There isn’t much hope for the New England Patriots on the injury front these days.

They just lost two of their best defensive players, Christian Gonzalez and Matthew Judon, in the same football game. All of their starting cornerbacks are out with injuries, and right tackle is a revolving door of random bodies just trying to make it work.

The good news is the Patriots are past the four-game mark, which means multiple players on injured reserve and the physically unable to perform lists are eligible to return this week.

Any return would feel like a boost at this point with the Patriots sitting at 1-3 and looking up at a seemingly impossible hill to climb in the AFC East division.

Here are the five players eligible to return for the Patriots this week.

Packers CB Eric Stokes starts 2023 season on PUP list

The Packers kept CB Eric Stokes (foot) on the PUP list to start the 2023 season, meaning he’ll miss at least the first four games.

The Green Bay Packers kept cornerback Eric Stokes on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list through Tuesday’s roster cut deadline, meaning he’ll start the regular season on the PUP list and miss at least the first four games of the year.

Stokes is still recovering from last season’s injuries suffered in early November at Ford Field. He required surgery to fix both knee and foot injuries and missed the final eight games of 2022. The foot injury was the more significant injury and the one Stokes is still dealing with in terms of returning to the field.

As a result, the Packers kept just four cornerbacks on the initial 53-man roster: Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas, Keisean Nixon and rookie Carrington Valentine. The team cut Corey Ballentine, Innis Gaines, Shemar Jean-Charles, William Hooper, Tyrell Ford and Elijah Hamilton on Tuesday.

Stokes, a first-round pick in 2021, started 14 games as a rookie and the team’s first nine games of last season. He broke up a team-high 14 passes in 2021 but didn’t have a pass breakup last season.

With Nixon in the slot and Alexander and Douglas locked in on the outside, it’s difficult to figure out how Stokes gets back on the field once healthy. The Packers also love Valentine, a summer standout in Green Bay.

While on the PUP list, Stokes will not count against the 53-man roster.

The Packers face the Chicago Beasr, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and Detroit Lions over the first four games of 2023.

Green Bay Packers cornerback Eric Stokes (21) is carted off the field during the first half against Detroit Lions at Ford Field, Nov. 6, 2022.

Syndication Detroit Free Press

Report: Cowboys CB Jourdan Lewis to be activated from PUP, placed on 53-man roster

From @ToddBrock24f7: The veteran CB would be eligible to return before Week 5, but his addition to the 53-man roster would mean someone else has to go.

For all the guessing and prognosticating about who won’t be on the Cowboys’ initial 53-man roster at the end of the day, one name who apparently will be there may come as a pleasant surprise.

Cornerback Jourdan Lewis will be moved off the Physically Unable to Perform list and placed on the 53-man roster by Tuesday’s deadline, as first reported by NFL insider Josina Anderson.

Lewis has been sidelined since last season’s Week 7 with a foot injury suffered in a win over the Lions. The seventh-year veteran out of Michigan was told by doctors that his Lisfranc injury- one that displaces one or more bones in the midfoot and results in ligament tearing- was one of the worst cases they had seen in 35 years. Lewis had screws, nuts, and bolts installed to stabilize the foot and had to wear a boot until almost April.

He still has not yet been cleared to practice with the team, but being activated off of PUP would signal that he is close. Starting the season on the list would require Lewis to miss the first four games of the schedule; the Cowboys using a roster spot on him can only mean that they believe he’ll be ready to go before then.

“We don’t want to be on the PUP list,” Lewis said back in June. “I’m going to be rehabbing crazy to make sure I’m not on the PUP list.”

It appears he’s achieved that goal, just the latest in what has been a long comeback.

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Lewis’s presence on the 53-man roster naturally sparks questions about the other Cowboys cornerbacks, most notably 2021’s second-round draft pick, Kelvin Joseph.

The Kentucky product, by many accounts, had his best training camp yet this summer, but the improvements made may have been too little, too late as the Cowboys continue to thin their ranks to the top 53 players.

Check back with Cowboys Wire’s cut tracker for updates throughout the day on the team’s roster moves.

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Packers hopeful Rashan Gary, Eric Stokes will come off PUP list during training camp

The Packers won’t rush back Rashan Gary or Eric Stokes, but the team is hopeful both players will be back on the field during training camp.

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Don’t rule out the possibility of Rashan Gary and Eric Stokes being on the field for the Green Bay Packers when Matt LaFleur’s team travels to Chicago to play the Bears in Week 1 of the 2023 season.

Both LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst expressed optimism on the current timelines of Gary and Stokes, two players who went down with season-ending injuries on Nov. 6 against the Detroit Lions last year and will start training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

Gary tore his ACL. Stokes had knee and foot injuries. Both could be back during training camp, per LaFleur.

“I think we’re hopeful (they’ll be back during training camp),” LaFleur said Tuesday. “They’ve done an outstanding job, and Flea (Bryan Engel) and his staff have done a great job of rehabbing them. The way they’ve attacked it, the work they’ve put in, it’s evident, you can see it. They’re doing really well. The plan the whole time was to, when they get in here, to put them on PUP. We’ll see how fast we can get them off. Provided there are no setbacks, I would see them eventually coming off.”

Gutekunst said the Packers won’t rush either player back. Gary, a top edge rusher, is entering a contract year and is a foundational player for the franchise. But the Packers general manager said Gary will have to a chance, if all goes well, to be on the field during trianing camp.

“We’re going to be very cautious as far as making sure he’s good to go, he’s got a long career ahead of him and we want to make sure we do everything we can to make sure he can let it loose,” Gutekunst said. “He’s done an amazing job and it’s going to be hard to hold him back. He’s ready to go. He wants to keep pushing, and he will. We’ll start him off these next 2-3 weeks and see where he’s at. I wouldn’t put anything past him because he’s a different kind of guy.”

Players placed on the PUP list to open camp can come off at any time, and it’s possible the Packers will have Gary and Stokes back doing individual drills within the first few weeks of camp. Progressing through individuals would provide the pathway back to the field in 11-on-11 team periods.

If Gary and Stokes remain on the PUP list throughout training camp, they could begin the regular season on the PUP and miss the first four games.

The Packers open the 2023 regular season on Sept. 10 against the Bears.

Packers activate OL Jake Hanson off PUP list

Packers OL Jake Hanson passed his physical and will come off the PUP list.

Jake Hanson’s stay on the physically unable to perform list was a short one. The Green Bay Packers activated the third-year offensive lineman from the PUP list on Saturday after he passed his physical.

Hanson was originally placed on the PUP list on Friday. He missed the final 11 games of the 2022 season after suffering a significant biceps injury.

Hanson, a sixth-round pick in the 2020 draft, made one start (Week 1) and played 69 snaps on offense (66 at right guard) and 19 on special teams over six games last season. He allowed four pressures (one sack) and earned the worst pass-blocking grade at PFF among Packers offensive linemen in 2022.

This summer, Hanson will get a chance to make the 53-man roster for the third consecutive season. Barring injury, his best shot to make the team is as a backup on the interior of the offensive line.

Jerry Jones: Cowboys WR Michael Gallup won’t start season on PUP list

The owner says he wants Gallup to be ready to return at the earliest opportunity; starting the season on PUP would require 4 missed games. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Jerry Jones is always the biggest optimist within the Cowboys organization, but there’s reason for the fanbase to also have hope that they’ll see wide receiver Michael Gallup back in the lineup sooner rather than later.

The owner said Wednesday that he does not expect the fifth-year veteran to be on the Physically Unable to Perform list when the final 53-man roster is announced on Aug. 30.

If he were, he would be required to sit out at least the first four games of the regular season. By taking him off PUP, the team would be betting that he’ll be ready to go sooner, even if he’s not a full go by Week 1.

“We just don’t want to do anything that would put him in some kind of category that would limit us from getting him in the first game,” Jones said prior to the team’s practice Wednesday evening. 

“The strategic way that we handle this at cutdown will let him get to the club actively as quick as he can.”

Gallup himself admitted in late July that playing in the season opener was “not a reasonable possibility.” He was, however, spotted running routes and catching passes from quarterback Dak Prescott recently; he appears close to making his return.

Gallup suffered a torn ACL catching a touchdown against Arizona in Week 17 last season. He underwent surgery in February, and his status for the season opener was always in doubt.

The club maintained hope, though, that his rehab was ahead of schedule throughout the offseason and camp. (That was one reason why he delayed surgery for several weeks after the tear; a prolonged post-injury rest period  can allow inflammation to subside and make the recovery process easier.)

But if Gallup is moved to the active roster for next week’s final cutdown, it means one more bubble player will have to go. The team is currently carrying several extra receivers- Simi Fehoko and Dennis Houston, to name two- to provide depth at the position.

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Broncos injuries: Randy Gregory, Billy Turner activated off PUP list

Mostly good news on the injury front for the Broncos this week.

Reinforcements are on the way.

The Denver Broncos activated outside linebacker Randy Gregory (shoulder) and offensive lineman Billy Turner (knee) off the physically unable to perform list on Monday, the team announced.

That means the two players are now eligible to practice again, but it doesn’t necessarily mean both players will jump into starting spots right away.

The Broncos are hopeful that both players will be ready to face the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football in Week 1, but the team won’t rush them in their respective recoveries. It remains to be seen if either player will get any snaps in the team’s final two preseason games.

Elsewhere on the injury front, coach Nathaniel Hackett confirmed Monday that inside linebacker Jonas Griffith (elbow) will miss 4-6 weeks. Denver signed veteran Joe Schobert to help replace Griffith in the meantime.

Hackett also announced that guard Netane Muti had a knee procedure. The offensive lineman will be week-to-week going forward.

Additionally, Hackett said running back Melvin Gordon (foot) and running back Ronald Darby (chest) will be day-to-day this week.

The Broncos will face the Buffalo Bills on the road in Week 2 of preseason on Saturday.

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Packers activating Elgton Jenkins, Robert Tonyan and Christian Watson off PUP

Huge news: Elgton Jenkins, Robert Tonyan and Christian Watson are all coming off the PUP list for the Packers on Sunday.

The Green Bay Packers will return three important offensive players from the physically unable to perform list on Sunday.

According to coach Matt LaFleur, the Packers are activating offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins, tight end Robert Tonyan and rookie receiver Christian Watson from the PUP list – giving all three roughly a month to get ready for Week 1 and setting the stage for the return of three key contributors to start the 2022 season.

LaFleur cautioned that all three will start in individual drills and the activations are just one step in the process of returning to play.

“I say that, it’s just the next step in the process,” LaFleur said. “They’ll do some individual. Now, with them being back, now it allows you to do some walkthroughs, which will be beneficial for a guy who hasn’t played in the NFL like Chrisitan.”

Jenkins, a Pro Bowler at guard who can play either tackle position, tore his ACL in Week 11 of last season. Tonyan, who caught 11 touchdown passes during a breakout season in 2020, tore his ACL in Week 8. Watson, the team’s highest pick at receiver since 2002, started training camp on the PUP list after having knee surgery in June.

Jenkins’ return could stabilize an offensive line that is still attempting to find the five best players through the first two weeks of training camp. LaFleur didn’t commit to Jenkins playing any one position, but he could start at left tackle, either guard position or right tackle depending on who is available.

LaFleur said Jenkins was “super disciplined” during the rehab process.

“That’ll be a big boost when he is fully cleared,” LaFleur said.

Getting Tonyan back will immediately improve the Packers’ depth and receiving ability of the tight end position, which currently lacks a true passing game weapon.

Watson, a terrific athlete at 6-4 who could contribute immediately at receiver, should now have plenty of time to get caught up and back up to speed in the offense over the next few weeks.

LaFleur wasn’t confident that any of the three players would be able to participate during the preseason, but he left the door open for all three to return in time for Week 1.

“We’re excited about it,” LaFleur said. “We’re going to make sure we do it the right way.”

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Report: Jack Conklin to come off PUP list Monday

Some very good news in Berea, especially this early in training camp, with the team’s right tackle coming off PUP:

While the sports world swirls around the announcement of QB Deshaun Watson’s six-game suspension, the Cleveland Browns prepare to kick off another training camp practice. After taking off Sunday, the Browns are back on the field on Monday.

Outside of Watson’s suspension, injury concerns have been the key storyline in Berea this year. First, WR David Bell was unable to perform then a number of veterans were added to different lists, keeping them out of practice.

Later, WR Anthony Schwartz was injured and Saturday WR Isaiah Weston went down with what looks to be a major injury.

Monday came with some good news as the team informed reporters that OL Jack Conklin would be coming off the physically unable to perform list (PUP) and back to practice.

Conklin was lost early in the 2021 season with a knee injury and restructured his contract to return to the team this year. HC Kevin Stefanski said his starting right tackle was diligent this offseason working out in Berea to return healthy.

Getting Conklin back healthy this quickly into camp is a huge boost for the team’s offense, especially with QB Jacoby Brissett taking over for the first six games of the year.

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Packers K Mason Crosby still recovering from right knee injury to open training camp

Packers K Mason Crosby, who turns 38 in September, is recovering from a right knee injury that required recent surgical intervention.

Veteran kicker Mason Crosby is dealing with a right knee injury that recently required surgical intervention as the Green Bay Packers open training camp.

Crosby, who turns 38 years old in September, started camp on the physically unable to perform list. According to Rob Demovsky of ESPN, Crosby had his knee scoped earlier this month.

“I have a right knee injury that I’ve been dealing with here through the offseason. Wear and tear over the years, different things. It didn’t feel like it was where it needed to be at the end of OTAs,” Crosby said Wednesday. “Just trying to get healthy. Get right. Just make sure by the regular season, at the very latest, that I’m ready to roll.”

Crosby said he’s hopeful that he can work with the kicking unit before the end of training camp but reiterated that, at this point of his career, he doesn’t need to kick during preseason games.

The Packers have rookie Gabe Brkic on the roster as the second kicker. The Oklahoma product will likely get a chance to handle all kicking duties for the Packers during most of camp and the preseason, providing a terrific opportunity to either push for the job in Green Bay or audition elsewhere this summer.

The injury is a concerning issue for an aging kicker – especially a right-legged kicker – coming off one of the worst seasons of his professional career. In 2021, Crosby missed nine field goals and finished with a field goal percentage of just 73.5, the second worst of his career.

Crosby is also going into the final year of his deal in 2022. He’ll make a base salary of $2.25 million, with a cap hit of $4.75 million. The Packers could save almost $2.4 million by moving on but would risk entering the 2022 season without an established kicker.

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