Jonathan Vilma remains on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform List) today as the Saints have three weeks to decide whether to activate him or place him on IR. Granted, Vilma’s current timetable is at the mercy of his suspension, which post appeal could be for the season if the courts don’t step in. So depending on how that plays out, this could be the only game this year he’ll be eligible for. For that reason I still think the Saints will activate him, and they can do that anytime between now and an hour before kickoff when they turn in the actives for the game. Placing Vilma on the active roster would require them to release a player, and since Lance Moore looks poised to return that person could be either Greg Camarillo or Ramon Humber.
Currently Vilma is still on the PUP which means he is not part of the 53 man roster, but I believe the odds of him playing are good. The absence of David Hawthorne from practice today increases them, but my guess is he was probably playing either way. Hawthorne is still nursing a hamstring injury that has held him out for a few weeks now. Scott Shanle also missed practice today with an undisclosed illness so he’ll presumably be back in short order, but that also has to increase the odds Vilma will play. How he will rebound from being out for so long and playing on a surgically repaired knee remains to be seen. In classic Sean Payton school fashion, though, the Saints won’t reveal their hand before they have to if they plan to play him… that would be Sunday. Vilma can practice with the team with no reservations so it’s safe to assume he’ll have to at least show he’s healthy enough to go before they activate him.
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