These New York Jets players will start training camp on the PUP list
As the New York Jets prepare to report for training camp, the team took care of a bit of business. They placed WR Mike Williams, FB Nick Bawden, and DT Leonard Taylor on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. They also placed QB Jordan Travis and WR Tyler Harrell on the non-football injury (NFI) list.
Williams is still recovering from an ACL tear suffered in Week 3 of the 2023 season while he was with the Los Angeles Chargers. Robert Saleh has said that Williams is on the Breece Hall timeline from 2023, meaning that he likely won’t practice in training camp but should be ready for Week 1. The Jets are relying heavily on him to be their No. 2 receiver behind Garrett Wilson.
Bawden appeared in 16 games in 2023 and doesn’t have any reported injuries. He missed the entire 2022 season after the Jets placed him on injured reserve before the season started. The Jets may or may not carry a fullback in 2024, although Nathaniel Hackett’s history suggests they likely will.
Taylor was a five-star recruit coming out of high school. After an excellent 2022 season at Miami, he regressed significantly in 2023. Although he was a projected fourth-round pick, Taylor went undrafted. That likely came because of character concerns regarding his effort and motivation. The Jets signed Taylor as an undrafted free agent, and he may be the UDFA with the best chance to make the Jets’ roster.
Travis is still recovering from a gruesome injury sustained at Florida State. He fractured and dislocated his ankle and also stretched other ligaments. The Jets selected him in the fifth round of the draft. Joe Douglas said he expects Travis to be available at some point in training camp; after he started camp on the NFI list, though, beginning the season there is not out of the question. Travis is currently the Jets’ third-string quarterback, and the Jets are hoping he can redshirt his rookie season.
Harrell was a little-used receiver at three different colleges, most recently Miami in 2023. He went undrafted. The Jets picked him up primarily because of his 4.29 speed (recorded at his pro day). He has an outside chance to make the team as a return specialist.
Definitions
PUP list
The PUP list is for players who cannot perform football services due to a football-related injury. A player can be placed on the active/PUP list during training camp, but once they are removed, they can’t be placed on it again. Players can be removed from the active/PUP list at any time, and they count toward the team’s 90-man roster.
If a player was on the active/PUP list throughout training camp and is not ready to start the season, they can start the season on the reserve/PUP list. The team must decide to place the player on the list by the 53-man roster cutdown day. A player on the reserve/PUP list must miss at least the first four games of the season. Players can be activated immediately after the four weeks. Those on the reserve/PUP list don’t count against the team’s 53-man roster.
NFI list
The NFI list is for players who sustained non-NFL-related injuries. Travis is on the list because he sustained his injury in college. Players on the NFI list do not receive their regular salary, although they usually negotiate payment with the team. Like those on the PUP list, those on the NFI list don’t count toward the 53-man roster and must miss at least the first four games of the season.
Injured reserve
Players who go on injured reserve (IR) before the waiver period following 53-man roster cutdowns are out for the whole season. After 53-man cutdowns, a team may designate up to eight players in a season to return from IR, provided the player missed at least four games. The same player may be designated to return from IR up to twice in a season (though both designations count against the team limit of eight).
