What Cole Van Lanen's Pre-Jaguars Training Camp PUP Designation Really Means

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars made an important pre-training camp move before the weekend ended, but it wasn't exactly one that wasn't forseen, and it might not mean what everyone thinks, either.

The Jaguars officially placed offensive linemen Garrett DiGiorgio and Cole Van Lanen on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list on Sunday. DiGiorgio is an undrafted rookie who was already on the bubble, but it is Van Lanen's status that now has raised several questions.

So, what does the PUP list really mean for the Jaguars and Van Lanen? Is it time for the Jaguars to panic when it comes to their big-money left tackle? We break it all down below.

What the PUP List Means for Van Lanen

Simply put, the PUP list for Van Lanen at this point should have been expected considering the timeline of his injury. He sustained a knee injury in Week 18 against the Tennessee Titans on Jan. 4, which was just over 200 days ago. After seeing how little Van Lanen did during the offseason program, it was clear that he was still in the midst of his recovery and was a bit further away than a quick return.

The Jaguars did say during the offseason program that they expected Van Lanen back at some time during training camp, however, and the PUP list ahead of camp does still keep that option on the table. The PUP list ahead of training camp can often be the source of overreactions because the list means something very different in July and August than it does when the actual games begin, but that is good news for the Jaguars and Van Lanen.

If Van Lanen was placed on the PUP list at the 53-man roster cut-down day, for example, then he would miss four games right off the bat before an eventual practice window would open. This is for the Reserve/PUP list, and it would mean Van Lanen would not count toward the Jaguars' 53-man roster.

If Van Lanen was placed on this list when the 53-man cutdown begins, then he would miss at least four games before a five-week practice window opened. Once the window opened, he would have 21 days to be activated before his season would end. In short, it would make a clearly defined timeline for his return and when it could actually happen.

Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen (70) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

But that is not the list Van Lanen was placed on, and will not matter until we are through training camp. The list Van Lanen was placed on is the *active* PUP list, which means Van Lanen still counts toward the Jaguars' 90-man offseason roster. But this also means that once he is medically cleared, he can return to practice right then and there. Once he is back on the practice field, he is off the Active/PUP list.

Players are placed on this list each July if they are still recovering from a football-related injury, which is the case of Van Lanen. The key note, though, is that if Van Lanen comes off the PUP list during camp, he can not go back on it all season. From there, it is either on the 53-man roster or on injured reserve.

But all things considered, this specific PUP list does not restrict Van Lanen or even mean he will miss Week 1 vs. the Cleveland Browns. We will get those answers later down the road, but for now this simple roster housekeeping for the Jaguars. PUP can look like a scary designation, but for now it does not appear to be all that meaningful.

Recent Jaguars Examples

The two most recent examples of the Jaguars having key players on the Active/PUP list are Maason Smith a year ago and Arik Armstead in 2024. Smith was placed on the PUP list on July 22 last season, just ahead of the start of training camp. Smith ended up missing several weeks of camp as he worked back to full strength, but the Jaguars did activate Smith from the PUP list on Aug. 14 and he was on the Jaguars' active 53-man roster to start the season.

In short, Smith being placed on the PUP list didn't impact his actual roster availability for the Jaguars. How much his injury impacted him when he was back on the field and whether it played a role in him not meeting expectations last year is a fair question, but he is an example of a July PUP list not being a death sentence for the regular season.

As for Armstead, he had surgery in 2024 and was placed on the Active/PUP list on July 20. He ended up being activated off the list on Aug. 13, which more or less gave him the exact same timeline that Smith would deal with a year later. Armstead went on to play in all 17 games in 2024 so, again, his actual availability was not impacted.

Now, neither of these cases are the same as the situation Van Lanen is facing. But it should at least give comfort that being added to this list does not simply mean that any games will be missed right away as a result.

Final Takeaway

The final takeaway here has to be ... well, more or less the same vibes on Van Lanen that we had before the news. It makes perfect sense for him to be on the PUP list, and all this really confirms is that Walker Little will be the starting left tackle at the start of training camp. Did anyone expect anything different considering when Van Lanen's injury was?

That is not to say the Jaguars are in the clear for Week 1, either. This is truly a wait-and-see situation, but it is not one that was worsened in any real way on Sunday with the PUP list designation. The Jaguars still need to get Van Lanen healthy, the same as they did before this news.

The Jaguars' left tackle position is one to watch over the next six weeks, but this move is not why.

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