Cleveland Browns receive important injury update for defensive star

The Cleveland Browns prepare for their second preseason game this weekend against the Minnesota Vikings.

The two teams have been holding joint practices over the past few days, and many good things have come out of the time spent training together for the Browns.

Not only were good things happening on the field, Cleveland also received great injury news off the field.

As the Browns announced, Za'Darius Smith was able to return to training on Thursday. He had been sidelined since August 5 due to a bruised knee.

Now he can return to the field and prepare for the start of the regular season.

Kevin Stefanski spoke out and talked about how happy he was to see Smith back on the practice field.

“It's good to see Za'Darius out there again. I mean, he was out there yesterday, you heard him. But it was good to see him in protective gear.”

Smith continued to be a key part of Cleveland's defense during the 2023 season, playing in 16 games and totaling 27 tackles, 5.5 sacks, one forced fumble and three passes defensed.

At 31, Smith is still a highly capable playmaker. He is a top-notch pass rusher and provides a lot of support to Myles Garrett.

If the Browns want to compete for a playoff spot or even the AFC North title this season, they need a healthy Smith to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks.

This is obviously great news for Cleveland. Now they just have to make sure everyone stays healthy for week one.