Junior defensive end Ron Thompson was out of a walking boot for the first time in over a week at Tuesday’s practice. He walked around on the outskirts of the field without pads, but wore a practice jersey and did pushups and stretched with the team during the final preseason practice open to the media for the first 20 minutes.

Syracuse head coach Scott Shafer said on Aug. 14 that Thompson would be out about three weeks with a lower-body injury. Now, Thompson, who recorded 32 tackles last year, is one week away from the initial timetable set.

“Just need to be smart with him,” Shafer said. “It’s one of those injuries where the kid might be feeling better but that tissue right down in there, you just want to make sure it’s healed up real well.”

When asked if Thompson would be held out of the season opener against Rhode Island in a week and one day, Shafer said, “Ron Thompson’s doing a good job with his rehab. I’ve been really pleased with his work ethic in the training room. I’m looking forward to when the doctors say he’s back.”

Other notes and observations from Tuesday:

• Over the past two days, senior long snapper Keith Mitsuuchi took reps with the first team during field-goal drills. Throughout much of the preseason, freshman Matt Keller worked with the first team and special teams coordinator Tim Daoust said on Monday night that Keller has locked up the snaps for punts, but it’s a battle for field goals.
• Ben Lewis practiced on Tuesday in a white jersey, which is usually reserved for quarterbacks and players who are working through injuries, but Shafer didn’t give any info regarding his health status.“He really likes white,” Shafer said of why Lewis wore a different jersey. “I said, ‘Give him a white jersey today, he’s been busting his tail.’”
• Parris Bennett didn’t practice on Tuesday because of a minor lower-body strain, but Shafer said, “He’s fine. Coaches were mad at me for taking him off the field today, but I just felt like I wanted to see him get freshened up a little bit.”
• Sophomore safety Antwan Cordy wasn’t at practice on Tuesday due to a personal matter, Shafer said.
• Syracuse used just junior wide receiver Brisly Estime, sophomore hybrid Ervin Philips and freshman walk-on running back Jacob Hill to field punts on Tuesday, a much smaller group than what SU used earlier in camp.