BEREA, Ohio — Nick Chubb has pushed past almost all of the pain. The hardest part is behind him.

Speaking to reporters for the first time since his 2023 season ended in Week 2 with a gruesome knee injury near the goal line in Pittsburgh, Cleveland’s star running back said Wednesday that his rehab following surgery is on track and he’s looking forward to returning. He’s just not sure when that will happen.

“I like where I’m at. I’m where I need to be,” said Chubb, whose knee was blown out when he was hit from the side by Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. “I would say that the biggest thing for me is getting better every day.”

Chubb, a four-time Pro Bowler, recently began running at the team’s facility to rehab his left knee — the same one he injured in college at Georgia — and has been encouraged by his steady progress.

The Browns restructured Chubb’s contract during the offseason, a sign they’re confident he’ll help them at some point this season. “A blessing,” he said. “They could have just cut me dry and left me hanging, right? But they did a great job. I want to be here in Cleveland. They know that so we came to a great point.”

• Coach Kevin Stefanski and General Manager Andrew Berry were rewarded with with contract extensions after bringing success and stability to an organization that had little before their arrival.

LIONS: Defensive back Khalil Dorsey was carted off the field with a lower leg injury during the team’s mandatory minicamp.

Dorsey was a key player last season, mostly on special teams. He played in 13 games during the regular season, two as a starter, and appeared in all three playoff games.

COLTS: Center Ryan Kelly, a member of the Players Association’s executive committee, said he’s opposed to an 18-game season.

“I think there’s a reason they’re already putting that out there in the media, right? Start talking about it, next thing you know people will think it’s going to happen,” Kelly said. “I hope not. I think you start looking, 16 was a lot for a lot of guys and 17 is even more, right? It’s a lot too on your body, but this is a business and it’s about making money.”

49ERS: Safety Talanoa Hufanga aims to be ready in time for the opener after tearing a ligament in his knee last November.

Hufanga tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee Nov. 19 in a win against Tampa Bay, and is spending the offseason rehabilitating.

STEELERS: Veteran defensive back Cam Sutton signed a one-year deal more than two months after being released by Detroit for his involvement in an alleged domestic violence incident in Florida.

Sutton eventually surrendered to authorities and entered a pretrial diversion program after the charges were reduced from a felony to misdemeanor battery.

CHARGERS: Corey Linsley, a three-year team captain, was released and is expected to retire after playing in three games last season due to a non-football, heart-related condition.

He was the second-highest paid center in the league with an average contract value of $12.5 million.