The Cardinals aren’t sure whether or not safety Tyrann Mathieu will be healed from torn ligaments in his knee in time to play in the team’s first regular season game, so it comes as little surprise to learn that he won’t be practicing with the team early in training camp.
Mathieu was one of two Cardinals placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list on Thursday, which means he’ll be held out of the team’s practices until the medical team feels he’s ready to take on a bigger workload. The procedural move can be undone at any point during camp, but Mathieu’s questionable status for Week One could lead the team to leave him on the list for at least the first six weeks of the regular season.
Mathieu will be joined on the PUP list by defensive tackle Alameda Ta’amu. Ta’amu is also recovering from a torn ACL that was suffered in Week 17 last season and said in the spring that he hopes to return to action before the end of camp.
The Cardinals also waived wide receiver Kelsey Pope as they set their roster for the start of camp.