RB Montario Hardesty Will Play Against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday

The long road to recovery will finally be complete for Cleveland Browns running back Montario Hardesty on Thursday night, as he will take the field against the Philadelphia Eagles. He tore his left ACL during last season’s preseason, forcing him to miss the entire 2010 season, and was finally able to resume practicing in full pads this past week.

It’s no surprise that Hardesty is itching to get on the field and play, especially after a week without setbacks or worries about the health of his knees. You’ll remember that he also tore his right ACL in 2005, so he is potentially a ticking time bomb for more injuries. Nevertheless, Hardesty isn’t concerned about his past. He can’t be if he wants to make it in the NFL.

He had this to say about his knees in a Cleveland.com article:

"“I don’t even think about it. I’ve been getting full days of practice. I’m making good cuts, and finishing runs so I think everything is good.”"

There’s no telling how long Hardesty’s career will last, as a running back’s knees are often the first things to go. Thursday will be the first indication of Hardesty’s health and, hopefully, all will go well. There’s never such a thing as too much depth when it comes to running backs.