Cleveland Brown safety T.J. Ward was back at practice on Thursday wearing a cast on his thumb, according to the Akron Beacon-Journal's Nate Ulrich. Ward underwent surgery on his right thumb this past weekend after injuring it against the Baltimore Ravens, and could be back in time for the Browns' game against the Giants on Sunday. The Browns' coaching staff is hopeful Ward can bolster their vulnerable secondary against a good Giants offense:

"Hopefully T.J. will be OK," defensive coordinator Dick Jauron said today. "He’s playing really well. I think he understands our scheme better. He really wants to do it right. He’s working at it hard. He’s done a nice job."

If Ward can't play on Sunday, Ray Ventrone will get another start in his place. Ventrone, oddly enough, suffered the same injury as Ward during Week 1. He missed a game, but has played ever since with a similar cast on his hand.