Unable to play last weekend due to a calf injury suffered in Week 5, Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin finally returned to the the practice field on Wednesday and will be ready for the Colts, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.
The 6'2, 330-pound lineman was replaced by the rookie duo of John Hughes and Billy Winn in Sunday's victory over Cincinnati, and his return gives the team a huge boost defensively entering a tricky Week 7 game on the road. Even with Rubin out of the lineup, the combination of Hughes and Winn teamed up to hold the Bengals to just 76 total rushing yards on 20 attempts in the win. With an elite run-stopper like Rubin back in the fold against a Colts offense struggling to run the ball already, Cleveland's defensive front seven is poised for another strong performance.
Along with Rubin's return to the practice field, fellow defensive tackle Phil Taylor was recently removed from the team's short-term injured reserve list and is just weeks away from returning. The No. 21 overall pick out of Baylor in 2011 continues to lift weights in his bid to recover from a torn pectoral muscle, and could be a huge asset to head coach Pat Shurmur's defense when he's finally healthy enough to play again.
#Browns DT Ahtyba Rubin on return from injury: 'Strained calf. It's back healthy. I'll be ready for Sunday & back to same speed & all that'
— Nate Ulrich (@NateUlrichABJ) October 17, 2012