Dolphins add Byron Jones to PUP, Elijah Campbell to NFI lists ahead of training camp

The Miami Dolphins announced on Friday they were placing cornerback Byron Jones on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list ahead of next week’s start to training camp. The move keeps Jones from being able to practice, but will allow the team to remove him from the list whenever he receives full medical clearance. The team also placed defensive back Elijah Campbell on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list, they announced.

The two lists are similar, with the Dolphins able to activate Campbell whenever he is medically cleared. The two different designations are used to indicate how the injury occurred. For the PUP list, the injury was sustained during football related activities - practice or game - whereas the NFI list is used for injuries that were sustained outside of those activities. Both lists, during training camp, are considered “active” lists, which is what allows the player to return to practice as soon as they are cleared.

There is a “reserve” version of both lists that can be used during the regular season, but a player must have spent the entire training camp and preseason period on the active version of the list. The reserve versions keep the player out of practice or games for the first six weeks of the regular season. Teams then have a window in which the player can begin practicing with the team, any time in Weeks 7 through 11. The team then has 21 days from when the player begins practicing to activate him; should any of those time periods pass without the player being moved to the active 53-man roster, the player is returned to their respective list and is out for the remainder of the season.

Jones had surgery on his lower leg in March and is still recovering. Campbell’s issue is not known.

Jones is in the third year of a five-year contract (plus two void years for salary cap purposes). He is slated to account for $5.9 million against the salary cap this year and would account for a $20.7 million cap hit were he to be released. Campbell is on a one-year contract for $895,000 with no cap impacts should he be released.

The Dolphins opened training camp on July 19 with the rookies reporting. The veterans, including Jones and Campbell, are scheduled to report next Tuesday, July 26, with the first practice the following day. Miami’s first practice open to the public will be on Saturday, July 30.