New Orleans Saints star wide receiver Michael Thomas has been placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list as the team nears the start of training camp.
The move, not altogether surprising, was first reported by ESPN's Field Yates and means Thomas won't be on the field when the team begins practice this week.
Thomas' absence is due to ankle surgery he underwent in June to address an injury that hampered him throughout the majority of his 2020 season, suffered while blocking late in a Week 1 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Saints reportedly signed veteran wide receiver Chris Hogan Monday as well, adding depth to a suddenly thin position that's also seeking to make up for the absence of Emmanuel Sanders, who became a cap casualty and signed with the Buffalo Bills in free agency.
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The Saints will also look to its own young players in Tre'Quan Smith, Marquez Callaway and Deonte Harris, among others, to fill the void in Thomas' absence.
But what is the NFL's PUP list, and how long will Thomas be out? The answer to that second question is a frustratingly vague: It's tough to know for sure.
First thing's first, the preseason PUP list and the regular season PUP list are two different things. If a player starts the regular season on the PUP list, he can not return for at least six weeks.
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That, however, is not the case for the preseason PUP list. Players on the preseason list count against the 90-man roster limit, but are not allowed to practice unless they are cleared and removed from the list. That can happen at any point, should Thomas be cleared to resume practice. Players who are not removed from the PUP prior to the 53-man roster deadline are then transitioned to the regular season PUP list, at which point the games missed becomes a certainty.
Thomas' surgery to repair ligaments in his injured ankle carries a recovery timeline of roughly four months, which would put a likely return to game action at some point in October. His return to practice could come sooner, however, if doctors clear him to resume football activities and even if he's held out of game action beyond that point.
The Saints report to camp this week and begin practices on Thursday. The team will travel to Baltimore for their preseason opener against the Ravens on Aug. 14. The Saints open up their 2021 regular season on Sept. 12 against the Green Bay Packers at the freshly branded Caesars Superdome.