Patriots' PUP analysis

ANALYSIS

One of the main news-related items to come out of the start of Patriots' training camp today is the team's active/physically unable to perform list. It includes 12 players.

That's especially high, likely the highest total of any of the NFL's 32 clubs.

One aspect to keep in mind is that the Patriots played deep into the postseason, so the players who had to undergo offseason surgeries -- some of whom are on the PUP list -- did so in February. Compare that to other non-playoff teams whose players underwent offseason surgeries in January, and players on other clubs had 3-4 extra weeks to heal.

While that 3-4 weeks might not seem like a significant chunk of time, it certainly is on the football calendar.

This is one example of how playing deep into the postseason has affected the Patriots the following season, specifically in how many players are available for training camp.