The Baltimore Ravens had a pleasant surprise Wednesday.
Cornerback Jimmy Smith, who suffered an Achilles injury in early December 2017, was among the participants on the second day of minicamp.
The Ravens tweeted a short video showing Smith jogging while warming up and taking part in individual position drills with his helmet on, and then the clip ended with a grinning Smith standing next to a smiling John Harbaugh.
The original timeline for Smith's recovery was around six to eight months. His appearance on the field in mid-June could point to a potential return in late July when the Ravens open training camp or the start of the regular season.
Ravens defensive coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale told reporters after the team's practice that Smith was "right on schedule."
"What the schedule is, I don't know," Martindale said, via Jonas Shaffer of the Baltimore Sun. "But he's on it."
Smith enjoyed a good season before suffering the injury. In 12 games, the cornerback totaled 28 tackles (26 solo), three interceptions, nine passes defensed and two defensive touchdowns.
While on injured reserve, Smith also served a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances.
