Steve Smith Is Confident In Regular Season Return
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Steve Smith's torn Achilles injury could have ended his 15-year NFL career, but he's ready to return in 2016.
Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said last week at the NFL Combine that he expected Smith to be ready for the start of the regular season and the wide receiver confidently agrees.
"In my little world, I would love to be 100 percent and absolutely do nothing in training camp," Smith said, via ESPN.com.
Teammate Justin Forsett said the five-time Pro Bowl receiver would likely recover ahead of schedule because,"he's got Wolverine blood in him."
The doctor who surgically repaired Smith's Achilles recently gave him a positive report. "No setbacks. No real pain where you'd say, 'Oh, that's a concern,'" Smith said. "Just all good stuff to start and move forward."
Smith, the oldest receiver in the league, ranks No. 11 on the NFL's all-time receiving list with 13,932 yards, and he could finish in the top five if he exceeds 1,195 yards in 2016. He isn't going down without a fight.