Through the first week of training camp, the Carolina Panthers had been without defensive end Julius Peppers. Entering his 17th season in the National Football League, Peppers had begun training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list after failing his physical when the Panthers reported to Wofford College. But now, Peppers' pursuit of his first-ever Super Bowl triumph is ready to begin in earnest.

According to a report by Bill Voth of the Panthers, Peppers has now passed his physical and come off the Physically Unable to Perform list. Being 38 years old now, the Panthers plan to bring Peppers back up to speed slowly, and Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer reported that Peppers began indoor training on Sunday.

Peppers had been unable to pass his physical at the start of training camp given the fact that he has been recovering from offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder. However, there had not been a terrible amount of concern out of the Panthers over a timetable for Peppers' return.

"It’s hard to put timetables," Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said of Peppers at the beginning of training camp. "but he’s a guy that you know is going to be there. When he’s ready, he’s ready."

Peppers is the latest Panther to return off of the Physically Unable to Perform list. Earlier in the week, both wide receiver Curtis Samuel and defense end Bryan Cox Jr. had been activated off the PuP after being indisposed to begin training camp.

Peppers' missing the first week of training camp is likely of little consequence, given that the Panthers were probably going to limit the amount of reps he takes in training camp anyway. The Panthers also took it slow throughout the preseason with Peppers in 2017, as he returned to the Panthers after several years with both the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. In a part-time role, Peppers then proceeded to have 11 sacks for the 2017 season at the age of 37.

With Peppers now following Samuel and Cox back onto the field, only tight end Chris Manhertz and wide receiver Fred Ross remain on the PuP list for the Panthers. It had been known entering training camp that Manhertz would be inactive, as he had suffered a broken foot in minicamp. With Manhertz indisposed for the time being, the Panthers signed undrafted tight end Cam Serigne out of Wake Forest to compensate for his loss.

Peppers is coming up on a significant season in his NFL career, as he stands to move to third on the NFL's all-time sacks list. With six sacks in 2018, Peppers will surpass former Panthers linebacker Kevin Greene's mark of 160 career sacks.