Browns Defender Returns After Nearly Three Week Absence

Cleveland’s defensive line got some genuinely encouraging news on Tuesday, with Mike Hall Jr. returning to practice for the first time since August 1st. Hall rejoined his teammates on the field, ending an absence of nearly three weeks that had kept the young defensive tackle sidelined during a stretch of training camp that included the preseason opener against Chicago.

Justice shared the update as Hall made his way back into practice.

“A look at #Browns DT Mike Hall Jr., who returned to practice today for the first time since Aug. 1,” Justice wrote.

A look at #Browns DT Mike Hall Jr., who returned to practice today for the first time since Aug. 1. pic.twitter.com/mM1ziONRQ3

— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) August 18, 2026

Hall’s absence traced back to a practice incident, when he was sidelined following a hard block to the ground delivered by running back Quinshon Judkins during a non-padded session. While the specific injury was never officially disclosed, reports indicated the issue was not considered severe, and Hall ultimately sat out preseason action entirely as a precaution before working his way back into full practice participation this week. This marks the second notable injury concern of his young career, following knee and MCL issues that lingered from the end of his rookie season in 2024.

Getting Hall back on the field carries real significance for a defensive front that has generated considerable buzz throughout this training camp. Hall recorded 1.5 sacks and 11 combined tackles during his second professional season in 2025, establishing himself as a contributing piece of Cleveland’s interior defensive line rotation alongside Mason Graham.

The timing of this return also matters given how close Cleveland now sits to finalizing its roster for the regular season.  Missing nearly three weeks of camp represents a real setback in terms of continuity and conditioning, making his health and availability over these next several practices worth monitoring closely as the Browns continue building out their complete defensive line rotation.

As a second-round pick out of Ohio State back in 2024, Hall remains an important building block for this defense moving forward, and his return to practice this week offers Browns fans one more encouraging development on the defensive side of the ball.