Soon, the Arizona Cardinals may be forced with a tough roster decision regarding tight end Tip Reiman.
The former third-round pick isn't going to be released or cut, though a severe ankle injury suffered in October of last season still lingers. While he's been spotted rehabbing off to the side of Cardinals practices, his placement on PUP at the beginning of training camp hasn't changed.
That doesn't appear to be the case anytime soon, as Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur told reporters Reiman likely isn't going to be ready for the regular season opener.
"No with Tip, but again he's progressing. There's just conversations [to be had]," LaFleur told reporters.
"Again, it's just day to day. He's putting in a ton of work as well, so that's just that's just day to day. He's a large man too, right? And putting a lot of force in that. There's the good days and there's the not as good days, but putting in a lot of work. We'll see."
That's a massive pivot from earlier in the offseason, when LaFleur said the Cardinals expected Reiman to be ready for training camp. Now, one of their best blockers is doubtful for the regular season opener and perhaps beyond.
The Cardinals have a massive decision coming on Reiman in terms of his status on the PUP list. If Reiman remains, he'll have to miss the first four games of the season.
"Those are the tough decisions, and you lean on the player to speak truth as well, and trust these guys," LaFleur said when asked if Reiman was going to stay on PUP.
"Tip is made of all the right stuff, so Tip's going to keep it real with us. But those are the decisions that have to be made for the reasons that you're saying."
Reiman figures to be a massive part of the Cardinals' efforts to establish the run.
"Another guy that I had a lot of respect for coming out of Illinois," LaFleur said earlier in the offseason.
"It's like some of those guys, when you get the job, you're like, 'Yes! I wanted him coming out of the draft!' and then you get to inherit him. I can say that easily about Tip because Tip is all of the right stuff in terms of how he approaches it and stuff like that. It was unfortunate what happened a year ago, but big piece of where I think we can go."
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/cardinals/onsi as Latest Tip Reiman Injury Update Has Tough Decision Looming for Cardinals .
