Though Smith acknowledged that he is still in the early stages of his recovery from a torn Achilles, the wideout expressed optimism Monday that he would be ready for the start of the 2016 season, ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Smith, who turns 37 in May, originally planned for 2015 to be his last season in the NFL, but in the wake of Achilles' surgery on Nov. 9, the veteran wideout announced in late December that he planned to return to the Ravens for the 2016 season. With that in mind, when asked if he thought he'd be ready for the start of the upcoming regular season, Smith replied, "yeah, I think I'll be fine." While such an outcome is hardly a lock, Smith's reputation as one of the toughest players in the league does give him a solid chance to overcome what he calls the toughest injury of his productive NFL career, which began in 2001.