AP

When Falcons defensive tackle Corey Peters tore his Achilles in Week 16 last season, there was some doubt about whether or not he’d be healthy enough to play when the 2014 season got underway.

Peters took a step toward a positive answer to that question on Monday when he practiced with the Falcons for the first time since being placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list at the start of the regular season. Activating Peters from the list means that he’s no longer eligible to go on the regular season version of the list, which would have kept him out for at least six weeks without taking up space on the 53-man roster.

Falcons coach Mike Smith said that the team plans to bring Peters along slowly over the remainder of the preseason with designs on getting him prepared for the first game of the year. How exactly he’ll fit on a line that added Paul Soliai, Tyson Jackson and Ra’Shede Hageman to the mix this offseason remains to be seen, but no one in Atlanta is going to argue with having surplus options up front on defense after last season’s struggles.

With Peters activated, wide receiver Drew Davis and safety Zeke Motta are the only Falcons still on the PUP list.