This isn’t a surprise, but that doesn’t make it good news. Michael Thomas and Marcus Davenport were designated to the New Orleans Saints’ physically unable to perform list to open training camp, the team reported on Thursday’s update to the daily NFL transactions wire. Both players were sidelined during minicamp earlier this summer while recovering from injuries, and that’s still the case as their teammates report to the Saints practice facility for training camp.
Thomas has missed most of the last two years with a complicated ankle injury. He suffered a setback from surgery in June of last year that required a follow-up corrective surgery in November, and he’s spent the months since working his way back to shape essentially from a blank slate. It’s far from ideal, but if there is a silver lining here it’s that Thomas has been in New Orleans receiving treatment from team trainers — a far cry from last summer’s radio silence. Having him on hand and on the same page with the coaches is an improvement from last year’s experience.
As for Davenport: he endured a series of offseason surgeries to repair the injured shoulder that limited him last season as well as an unrelated procedure to partially amputate his pinky finger, which he first damaged in his college days. Both Davenport and Thomas will be eligible to practice with their teammates as soon as they are medically cleared, and they aren’t expected to miss much time. It just makes more sense to ease them back rather than rush two key players into things before their bodies are ready for it.
Saints veterans aren’t required to report for camp until next week, so more players could join them on the PUP list (or other injury reserves; undrafted rookie Rashid Shaheed is starting camp on the non-football injury list while recovering from a torn ACL) as they arrive and undergo physicals. We already know that second-year pro Payton Turner has been medically cleared for camp, as has perennial Pro Bowl kicker Wil Lutz. Stay tuned for more updates.
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