Browns Digest

Browns Rookie Zak Zinter Practiced For The First Time In Six Months

The Browns third-round pick is a full go to participate in rookie minicamp after breaking his leg against Ohio State in November.

Spencer German

Dec 31, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Michigan Wolverines offensive lineman Zak Zinter (65) against
Dec 31, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Michigan Wolverines offensive lineman Zak Zinter (65) against / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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167 days. That's how long it's been since Michigan guard Zak Zinter suited up in pads played football. The streak came to and end on Friday when the third-round pick took the field for the first time as a member of the Cleveland Browns.

After breaking his tibia and fibula against Ohio State back on Nov. 25, Zinter was actively involved in the first day of rookie minicamp, true to his promise from NFL Draft weekend that he is recovered and fully cleared to practice.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski was thrilled to see Zinter actively involved for the first time in quite a while.

"He looks good," Cleveland's head man said. "He's comfortable. He's working very hard with Andy [Dickerson] and Roy [Istvan] and those guys. Just really pleased with where he is, but he looked comfortable to me."

While most of Zinter's draft eligible contemporaries were training for the NFL Draft, he spent most of his pre-draft process rehabbing his left leg. That meant he was a non-participant at the NFL Combine, aside from showing up for measurements. He wound up holding a private workout at the University of Michigan that was recorded and shared with teams, showcasing how far along in the process he was.

One might think that means he's behind his fellow rookies in terms of being in "football shape." But as Stefanski pointed out, all the Browns rookies have a way to go in terms of their conditioning.

"What happens is you're in really good pro day shape and you're in shape for the combine, and you're getting ready to run 40 yard dashes, and that's not really football," Stefanski explained. "So I think a lot of these guys are going to work themselves back into "football shape." But Zach's no different than a lot of those guys."

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Spencer German

SPENCER GERMAN

Spencer German is a contributor to the Northeast Ohio cluster of sites, including Cavs Insider, Cleveland Baseball Insider and most notably Browns Digest. He also works as a fill-in host on Cleveland Sports Radio, 92.3 The Fan, one of the Browns radio affiliate stations in Cleveland. Despite being a Cleveland transplant, Spencer has enjoyed making Northeast Ohio home ever since he attended college locally at John Carroll University, where he graduated in 2013.