Wentz Was Never a Candidate for PUP List

PHILADELPHIA (973espn.com) - Despite a report coming from the league's media arm, the physically-unable-to-perform list was never a serious consideration for the Eagles when it comes to rehabbing quarterback Carson Wentz.

As expected Wentz will not be a full-go for Philadelphia's first training camp practice on Thursday and that evidently fueled the thought that the PUP list was an option in some circles. The problem with that is that a designation of PUP-active would mean the star quarterback would not be able to participate in individual drills or 7-on-7 periods, something he has been cleared to do dating back to the spring.

Wentz, who is now over seven months out from surgery to repair a torn ACL and LCL, remains on track to start Week 1 against Atlanta on Sept. 6, which is a week short of the typical nine-month recovery period.

The only way the PUP list would have been an option is if Wentz suffered a setback in his five weeks away from the NovaCare Complex.

More so from a procedural standpoint, the advantage of the PUP list would only come into play if Wentz missed the entire training camp, giving Philadelphia the option to continue the designation into the regular season which means missing the first six games.

Needless to say, none of that is a concern, meaning the only way the PUP list would have even been discussed is if Wentz was incapable of doing anything at practice on Thursday or the Eagles changed course and wanted to purposefully hold Wentz back, almost inconceivable after watching how the organization handled him at OTAs and minicamp.

GRAHAM  WILL START ON PUP LIST

Veteran defensive end Brandon Graham is not expected to be ready to practice Thursday and will likely begin the summer on the PUP list, an NFL source told 973espn.com.

Graham suffered a high-ankle sprain against Oakland on Chrismas Night last season and missed the regular-season finale before returning for the playoffs at far less than 100 percent.

His now famous strip-sack of Tom Brady which essentially wrapped up Super Bowl LII came with the balky ankle and a tweaked hamstring, the latter occurring because Graham was favoring the ankle so much.

The healing process was moving along slowly so Graham opted for a clean-out surgery in May and missed the entire offseason. That absence will now carry over to the start of summer work.

AIKEN FOR AN OPPORTUNITY

A day after releasing receiver Marquess Wilson, the Eagles brought another veteran wideout on board for camp, signing former Baltimore stater Kamar Aiken.

Aiken, who has a history with personnel chief Joe Douglas, once started 14 games in Baltimore back in 2015, snaring 75 receptions for 944 yards. Over the past two seasons with the Ravens and Indianapolis, however, Aiken had a total of 44 receptions.

The lengthy 6-foot-2 wideout originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Central Florida and joins a WR corps expected to be headlined by Alshon Jeffery, Mike Wallace and Nelson Agholor.

-John McMullen covers the Eagles and the NFL for 973espn.com. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen