Eagles' Ronald Darby happy he's not on PUP list … whatever that is

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Earlier this week, a report from NFL Network claimed Eagles cornerback Ronald Darby was expected to begin training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list. 

Narrator: He didn’t. 

Nope, when the Eagles took the field for their first full-team practice of the summer, Darby was out there in his white No. 21 jersey and a heavy brace on his surgically repaired right knee. Definitely not on the PUP. 

It’s a great feeling not to be on that,” Darby said before a smile and a moment of real honestly.  

“I really ain’t know what PUP list was because I ain’t never heard of it. But it seems like it’s a good thing to not be on it, so I’m happy I’m not.

Yeah, Ronald. It’s a good thing. 

It’s not that starting training camp on the Active/PUP (like Jalen Mills did) would have been terrible. Players can be removed from that list at any time, when they’re ready to practice. But the fact that Darby didn’t join Mills on the PUP is a good sign. The PUP is for guys who aren’t ready to practice. Darby is ready for some activity. 

On Thursday, when the team was in 11-on-11 drills, Darby was on a side field with a group of players that also included Brandon Brooks, Fletcher Cox, Nigel Bradham, Rodney McLeod and Derek Barnett. But Darby on Thursday said he’ll be back on the real field sometime during camp. 

Not fully sure when I’m going to be full-go. That’s up to the trainers and how I look. But I’m going to be back during camp and I’m going to be out here getting reps and everything. Just take it from there.

Darby, 25, signed a one-year deal to return to the Eagles this offseason, opting to come back to a place where he feels comfortable to do his rehab. By the way, that rehab process is still going well. No setbacks, he said. 

While he is wearing that black brace on his knee for now, he seems pretty eager to get the “awkward” contraption off as soon as he can. He wore it for precautionary reasons on Thursday because of how much cutting he was doing. 

Darby’s ultimate goal, as it has been all offseason, is to be ready for Week 1. 

And since Darby didn’t begin training camp on the Active/PUP, he isn’t eligible for the Reserve/PUP once the regular season starts. Hopefully, for his sake, Darby will be lucky enough to never learn what that is either. 

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