Roster cuts are already underway around the NFL, but the first reported New Orleans Saints decision was an easy call to make. NewOrleans.Football's Mike Triplett reports that injured wide receiver Mason Tipton will remain on the physically unable to perform list (PUP) when the regular season starts, giving him an opportunity to return later this year. That's because he started training camp on PUP.
Tipton, 26 in September, signed with the Saints as a rookie free agent out of Yale in 2024 and has caught 25 passes for 175 yards in his first 25 career games. He suffered a groin injury late last season and missed the final two games; the Saints put him on injured reserve just before the Week 18 finale with the Atlanta Falcons. It looked like a procedural
move at the time to open a roster spot with so many injured players out of the lineup, but then he was held out of OTAs and minicamp during the spring. He still couldn't get on the field when training camp kicked off this summer, too, though he was seen working out off to the side with members of the training staff here and there.
So how does PUP work? Tipton will not count against the 53-man roster limit while on the list, and he can begin practicing as soon as Week 2, but he can't be activated for a game until Week 5. The soonest we could see him is Oct. 11's home game with the Minnesota Vikings. But it really depends on the severity of his injury. What's important is that the Saints have the option to bring him back when he's healthy.
What's the vision for him? Tipton was losing snaps to Rashid Shaheed and Brandin Cooks last year until the Saints moved on from both wideouts, and their offseason additions like Jordyn Tyson, Bryce Lance, and Barion Brown probably pushed him back down the depth chart. It's possible Tipton could find a role with Tyson sidelined by a hamstring injury, but if their recovery timelines are too close there may not be enough snaps to go around. It's a problem to solve another day.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: One Saints wide receiver will start the season on an injury list
