Tyree Jackson, Brett Toth to Begin Training Camp on PUP List
Two Eagles players who tore their ACLs in the regular-season finale against Dallas back in January are not expected to be ready to practice when the team opens training camp on July 26.
According to Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice.com, tight end Tyree Jackson and offensive lineman Brett Toth will both be placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list to start off the summer.
The PUP designation is largely a procedural one and allows more flexibility when rosters need to be trimmed to the 53-man regular-season limit.
To be eligible for the regular-season PUP list, you must start camp on the list.
It serves as a valuable tool vs. injured reserve because players placed on IR before the cutdown to 53 are not eligible to return for the entire season, meaning the Eagles would have to carry each player on the initial 53-man roster before reverting them to IR if the team planned on using them at any point this season.
If at any point Jackson or Toth are deemed ready for practice this summer or early in the season they can simply be activated off the PUP list up until six weeks into the campaign.
That six-week period is not available, however, if the players do not start on the PUP list. Once activated they can't return to the PUP list either.
ACL rebabs typically average about a nine-months and each player suffered their injury on Jan. 8. The Eagles' season-opener is in Detroit on Sept.11, three days after that demarcation line.
Jackson was seen off to the side and doing some light work at the two OTA sessions open to the media this spring and Toth was at the latter after missing the first open practice to get married.
If healthy, both Jackson and Toth would be regarded as bubble players moving forward.
The Eagles still certainly value Jackson as a developmental project after making the shift from quarterback to TE last year with the Eagles.
For now, Philadelphia is penciling in second-year blocker Jack Stoll and rookie sixth-round pick Grant Calcaterra as top backup options to Dallas Goedert.
Toth, meanwhile, is a versatile player but faces a tough numbers game on a very deep offensive line.
A natural tackle, Toth played center in the Week 18 game against the Cowboys after the Jason Kelce cameo that left the All-Pro's consecutive game streak alive.
In theory, backing up Kelce is not as big as a concern this season with second-round pick Cam Jurgens, a high-level prospect, available.
-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Sports. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talker Jody McDonald, every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube.com and JAKIBSports.com. You can reach John at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
