What happened: Wearing No. 26, Harden worked on the field Wednesday while Tytus Howard (concussion), E. Jenkins (knee), and Verse (knee) remained on Cleveland's pre-practice absence list. The cornerback had been listed as questionable to return during Sunday's 27-24 win at the Tennessee Titans. Defensive tackle Mike Hall also returned to practice for the first time since suffering an ankle injury.

Why it matters: Getting both defenders back on the practice field reinforces a Cleveland unit riding a two-game winning streak. Harden recorded his first NFL interception earlier this season on Sept. 20, giving the secondary an active rotational piece as the front office evaluates roster depth ahead of the Nov. 10 trade deadline.

What to watch: Thursday and Friday participation reports will determine whether Harden and Hall carry injury designations into the weekend.