Peyton Manning Activated Off The Physically Unable To Perform List [UPDATE]

Well, there's the first sigh of relief in this long off-season drama that has been the injury status of one Peyton Manning. Today, the Colts activated Manning off of the Physically Unable to Perform list, or P.U.P., or so says Alex Marvez of FOX Sports.

What this means is Peyton can start practicing.

While on P.U.P, Peyton could not practice with the team. If he remained on the list after this weekend, he would need to stay on P.U.P. for the first six weeks of the NFL regular season. It is still possible Manning could land on P.U.P. to start the 2011 regular season, but that possibly seems less likely now that they are getting him back into practice. [UPDATE] Apparently, once off P.U.P., one cannot be placed back on it. So, yeah, I suck at knowing NFL rules.

It is extremely doubtful Manning will play in the Colts final preseason game against the Bengals. However, team vice chairman Bill Polian has said the first unit offense could play more than usual in order to give newly-signed quarterback Kerry Collins some reps.

[UPDATE] And, cue crazy tweet from Colts owner Jim Irsay:

#18 to the practice field! Soon the leaves will fall/I looked at sideline sat.night n saw $30,000,000.00 standing there,my checkbook hurts!