Three Denver Broncos have been placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list to open training camp. We first learned about two names that entered the PUP list 9 NEWS‘ Mike Klisas well as a rookie camp on the non-football injury (NFI) list.
But on Tuesday morning, Broncos GM George Paton confirmed the three names reported by Klis, and also revealed that another veteran is headed to the PUP list. PUP players cannot practice until deemed ready, but may return to practice immediately during training camp after being removed from the roster.
If one of these PUP players remains on the roster when the season begins, then certain rules come into play. The rules for the PUP list in 2022 have become significantly more favorable for teams.
Here are the opening camp Broncos on the PUP list.
Randy Gregory | OLB | PUP
Gregory had offseason shoulder surgery, so him going on the PUP list is no surprise. He is expected to recover and be ready to go by the first week of the regular season.
It is unfortunate that Gregory is not expected to practice for the duration of training camp or play in any preseason games. He may be a little rusty for the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks and will likely play fewer games than if he had participated in at least part of the offseason training program.
Billy Turner | OT | PUP
Turner’s injury has been quiet all season, and it’s unfortunate that he’ll start camp on the roster. He was slated to be the right tackle and has experience in new coach Nathaniel Hackett’s offense.
If Turner misses more than a few days, he could be destined for a backup role. Broncos offensive coordinator Justin Outten recently stated that he wants the starting offensive line to be in place by the end of the first week of camp.
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KJ Hamler | WR | PUP
Hamler suffered a torn ACL and dislocated hip in Week 3 of last season. It was a tough set of injuries, and it was unknown if he would be a full participant to begin training camp in 2022.
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Right now, Hamler is recovering well, but will start on the PUP list. He is expected to be on the roster for only a short time. The team is playing well with his recovery.
Christopher Allen | OLB | NFI
Allen will begin camp on the non-football injury list. The Broncos’ linebacker unit has been hit with injury early, and Allen could have benefited from the opportunity to practice right away. He has a lot of promise to become a role player, but the significant leg injury he suffered in college is still lingering. Rumor has it that he will be ready to practice soon.
Cooper & Glasgow Good to Go
The good news is that linebacker Jonathon Cooper and offensive lineman Graham Glasgow won’t start camp on either roster. Cooper was a nice surprise last season as a rookie, but he hurt his finger in OTAs. The injury required surgery and there were hopes he would be ready to start camp and that was confirmed today.
When Glasgow went down with an ankle injury in Week 9, the extent of the injury was not fully known. It was later revealed to be a massive ankle injury, a broken leg and a large tendon tear.
The recovery time from a major injury like his is long and in June, Glasgow described himself as only 85% healthy. With competition along the offensive line, not starting camp on the PUP list is a huge win for the veteran.
We can only hope that Gregory, Turner and Allen will return to practice sooner rather than later. The Broncos have a team that can contend for the title, and the health of the team is the only thing that can derail a promising season.
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