Upon conclusion of the annual conditioning test staged on reporting day for Pittsburgh Steelers training camp, coach Mike Tomlin formally proclaimed, “All are present and accounted for.”
But that does not mean that all 91 players on the camp roster will be taking part when Thursday’s first practice begins Thursday at Saint Vincent.
Linebacker Cole Holcomb and defensive lineman Dean Lowry will open camp on the physically unable to perform list, and kickoff return specialist/running back Cordarrelle Patterson was placed on the non-football injury list.
Holcomb suffered a serious knee injury during a November game last season, and Lowry’s 2023 season with the Minnesota Vikings ended in November as the result of a pectoral tear.
Also signed as a veteran free agent over the offseason, Patterson “has a hammy that he hurt down south in training.”
“You can characterize it as day to day at this juncture,” Tomlin said of Patterson’s ailment. “We will see where it leads us.”
Tomlin said there was “no question” as to the optimism that each of the three “listed” players will return to action in time for the season.
Mike Tomlin’s opening remarks on reporting day for 2024 training camp pic.twitter.com/r1GJHg3M4E
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) July 24, 2024
Functionally, the differences between the two lists at this juncture are minimal. In short, PUP is for injuries sustained during NFL practices or fames. NFI is for those suffered outside of official NFL business.
Neither designation opens up a roster spot for the Steelers to sign another player. Once a player on either list takes part in a practice, he can no longer go back on PUP or NFI. And a player on either list can remain on it when the regular season begins, but, at that point, they will not count against the 53-man active roster limit.
However, they must sit out the first four regular-season games.
