New England Patriots: Should Fans Worry About PUP List?
By Matt LaPan
The New England Patriots recently released their list of players that are placed on the physically unable to perform – or PUP – list ahead of training camp. Every team is required to release that list if they want to have the opportunity for a player to start the season on the PUP list.
While it is a standard practice, the list of players on the Patriots’ list was quite alarming. Via the team website, the list included seven players – Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Sebastian Vollmer, Shaq Mason, Tre’ Jackson, Dion Lewis and Clay Harbor.
The big worry with this list is that all seven players reside on the offensive side of the ball. Not only are they offensive players, they are impact players that have started, or are expected to play a pivotal role in the offense in 2016. Most years this would not be an issue, but 2016 is not most years in New England.
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As nearly every NFL and Patriots fan knows, Tom Brady will be suspended for the first four games of the regular season due to DeflateGate sanctions. This thrusts Jimmy Garoppolo into the spotlight – and he will potentially have to get into that spotlight without three of his primary weapons in Edelman, Amendola and Lewis. He could also have a diminished offensive line in front of him without the steady presence of Vollmer at right tackle and Mason or Jackson inside at guard.
With tough defenses in Arizona, Miami, Houston and Buffalo all on the schedule for Garoppolo, these potential absences could be huge for Garoppolo. There is hope for the Patriots and their offense, however. In a recent interview with the Toucher & Rich radio show on 98.5 the Sports Hub in Boston, the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe put a possible timeline on the return of one major player.
“Edelman will be ready very, very soon,” Howe said. “That’s what I was told early in camp over and over again and throughout the offseason. If it’s not Thursday for that first practice or Saturday for the first padded practice, it will happen sooner rather than later. You wouldn’t have seen him running around Fenway Park last week if that foot wasn’t ready to go.”
Howe also mentioned how the Patriots are extremely conservative with their PUP list additions. This could mean that many of these players will be back before the end of Training Camp. While there is some reason for concern around the PUP list – especially with Edelman and Amendola – but it is unlikely these players start the regular season on PUP.
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Even if these players do miss some time, Garoppolo has weapons such as Rob Gronkowski, Martellus Bennett, Chris Hogan and more. If Edelman or Amendola has a major setback, there is room for worry. Until then, there is no need to worry about the PUP list additions.