It was a big day for big playmakers around the league who are on the mend.
In Carolina, the Panthers announced that Steve Smith will be available for the team’s third preseason game. He returned to practice last week after cutting the webbing between two fingers early in training camp.
“It will be fun,” Smith said of his return via Panthers.com. “Today was probably our best practice. We were going on all cylinders.”
In Tennessee, wideout Kenny Britt has slowly been working back into the mix after missing the start of camp with a hamstring injury. He will be available to play this week for the first time this year, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
The league still hasn’t said whether Britt will be suspended to start the year, although Britt has that expectation.
Finally in Oakland, the Raiders got some good injury news with the return of Jacoby Ford to practice.
The second-year player remains a starter despite breaking his hand three weeks ago. He figures to start opposite Darrius Heyward-Bey on opening day. Rookie Denarius Moore, who seems like this year’s version of Ford, has also earned playing time.