FanPost

Broncos Candidates for Preseason PUP


Training Camp is just around the corner (Hallelujah!), so it's time for our annual review of PUP rules. The PUP list is for players who are physically unable to perform, or at least not yet cleared medically to practice and play when training camp begins because of a football injury. There are two categories of PUP, preseason or "active" PUP which is the more relevant category at the moment, and regular season or "reserve" PUP. A player who has practiced even once during training camp is not eligible for either type of PUP.

A player placed upon active PUP at or before the beginning of training camp cannot practice if he is to remain on PUP. He can of course continue his rehab and participate in team meetings. At whatever time during training camp he becomes physically able to perform and/or medically cleared, he can be activated and begin practicing with the team immediately. For this reason, players on the active PUP list count against the training camp roster.

If the player is still not ready to practice and play when the roster is cut to 53, a decision must be made. The player can be waived injured, or moved to IR, or moved to the active roster of 53 anyway if there is reason to believe that it won't be long before he is ready to play, or he can be moved to the "reserve" PUP list in which case he will not count against the roster of 53, but cannot practice or play in a game for at least the first six weeks of the regular season. If he's still not ready to go at the beginning of week seven, there is a five week window before he is required to either begin practice on a more or less trial basis, or be moved to the active roster of 53, or be moved to season ending IR. Once he begins practice, he has a three week window before he must either be moved to the active roster of 53 or to IR. He does not count against the active roster of 53 during that 3 week window allowed for practice, but cannot play in any game until he is moved to the active roster of 53. So potentially a player on reserve PUP can return to practice anytime his physical condition and physicans allow him to do so between the beginning of week 7 and week 12, and he can be moved to the active roster of 53 and be eligible for game action anytime between week 7 and week 15.

So which Broncos could be candidates for preseason PUP? Based upon limited participation or non-participation in OTAs, I can think of four: Kevin Vickerson, Von Miller, Chris Harris, and Joel Dreesen. Which if any of these players do you think will start training camp on active PUP, and did I forget anyone?

This is a Fan-Created Comment on MileHighReport.com. The opinion here is not necessarily shared by the editorial staff of MHR.