Rosevelt Colvin, Matt Light and Lonie Paxton aren't the only Patriots who may not be on the field when full squad training camp workouts begin Thursday.
According to a league source, five other players were also placed on the active-PUP list (physically unable to perform), including linebackers Matt Chatham and Eric Alexander; tight end Christian Fauria, safety Eugene Wilson and defensive tackle DeVonte Peterson. Quarterback Jim Miller will start camp on NFI, the non-football injury list.
The Patriots confirmed those names Tuesday afternoon, although would not specify any injury information, which is consistent with the team's policy regarding injuries.
All nine players remain on the active roster and can be removed from the list at any time between now and Sept. 5. By being placed on active-PUP the team is confirming that a player is entering training camp with a pre-existing injury, which is a prerequisite to being placed on any PUP list, active or reserve.
No player injured during training camp is eligible for the reserve-PUP list that will be established on Sept. 5 – four days before the Patriots season opener -- if needed. A player injured during camp would have to be placed on injured reserve (lost for the season) or remain on the active roster.
So in order for a player to be eligible for reserve-PUP, he must start training camp on the active-PUP list, making that designation a procedural matter that leaves a team's options open in dealing with players who are not ready to practice at the start of camp. No player on the list can practice with the team, but can take part in rehabilitation and conditioning work.
If a player is moved from active-PUP to reserve-PUP on Sept. 5, that player is lost for at least the first six weeks of the season. The player can begin practicing any time between Weeks Six and Nine and then has a three-week window to practice before the team must determine his final status. The team can then leave the player on reserve-PUP for the remainder of the season, move the player to injured reserve, which also means the player is lost for the season, or activate the player to the 53-man roster at any point during the three week window.
Colvin, Light, Paxton, Miller, Alexander and Wilson had known pre-existing injuries, but the ailments hampering Fauria, Peterson, who played in Europe, and Chatham are unknown.
