Rookies have officially reported for the start of New Orleans Saints training camp, and a handful are still dealing with injuries.
The team announced Tuesday afternoon that each of RB Kendre Miller and WRs Shaq Davis and A.T. Perry will be placed on the Non-Football Injury list, while DB Anthony Johnson and Nick Saldiveri will be placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list.
The news is certainly not ideal, but it also doesn't necessarily indicate any setbacks. Saldiveri and Johnson are on the PUP list because their injuries were suffered during team practice. The other three are a bit more nebulous, but Miller's knee injury while at TCU is likely the cause. While it did happen during a football game, the name is misleading because it is meant to indicate an injury that was suffered outside of his current team, which is the case.
The placement of Perry and Davis on the NFI list is something more of a concern, considering they have no college ailments to spur their inclusion on the NFI list, indicating that their injuries occurred during the break between minicamp and training camp.
Teams can place players with injury designations onto either list, which is considered an active list during the preseason. They can be taken off the list at any point, but they can not be added to it after participating in a practice or game. Fans will be hoping for a similar scenario to what occurred with Michael Thomas last year, who went on the PUP list only to be in action for the first day of camp.
The active/PUP list reverts to the reserve/PUP list at the start of the regular season, which would mean they'd have to miss a set period of time before returning. Players who come off the PUP list prior to the regular season can return immediately.
Miller's injury kept him from participating in rookie minicamp, OTAs and the full minicamp, but he was present each day of practice and often while holding a football under his arm. Miller was picked in the third round out of TCU, with the Saints aware of his necessary rehab prior to participation. His availability early in the season could be an important question, with Alvin Kamara expected to receive a suspension stemming from an altercation in Las Vegas in 2021 that was just settled in court earlier this month. Fellow draft picks Bryan Bresee, Isaiah Foskey, Jake Haener and Jordan Howden should be ready to go without issue, as well as the stable of UDFAs fighting for a roster spot.
Veterans are scheduled to report to camp on Tuesday, July 25, with the first day of practice a day later on the 26th.
