Browns lose center Bentley for season

yupchagee · Post by **yupchagee** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 8:06 pm

Browns lose center Bentley for season

NFL.com wire reports

BEREA, Ohio (July 27, 2006) -- Stretched out on a flatbed cart, LeCharles Bentley covered his face with a towel to hide his disappointment and tears.

This wasn't the homecoming he had planned.

His first season with the Cleveland Browns ended before it began.

Bentley, a two-time Pro Bowl center and one of the team's prized free agent signings this winter, sustained a season-ending injury to his left knee on the first 11-on-11 drill of training camp July 27 -- a crushing blow for a club seemingly cursed by major injuries the past few seasons.

"He was the face of our free-agent class," general manager Phil Savage said. "We feel terrible for LeCharles, but life goes on."

The injury to LeCharles Bentley continues a string of bad luck for the Browns.
Savage said Bentley tore his patellar tendon and will undergo surgery as early as July 28. Savage declined to say if Bentley's tear was partial or complete and would not speculate on a timeframe for recovery.

Blocking for Reuben Droughns on an off-tackle running play to the right, Bentley, who played four years at New Orleans, was briefly engaged in a block up front with nose tackle Ted Washington when his left knee buckled.

Bentley screamed, "No!" and grabbed his knee as Cleveland coach Romeo Crennel and his staff blew their whistles to halt play. While on his knees, the 26-year-old Bentley punched the ground in disgust as the Browns moved their scrimmage up the field so the club's medical staff could attend to him.

Bentley's injury is the latest for a Browns team beset by serious medical setbacks -- No. 1 overall picks Courtney Brown and quarterback Tim Couch had several major injuries -- since the club returned to the league as an expansion team in 1999.

On July 27, tight end Kellen Winslow had his first contact after missing the past two seasons with major leg injuries. The Browns are also without wide receiver Braylon Edwards, their first-round pick in 2005, who is expected to be out until Oct. 1 following knee surgery.

When Winslow was seriously hurt in a motorcycle before last season, Savage, who was beginning his first year in Cleveland, complained about Browns fans feeling as if their team was jinxed.

Despite Bentley's injury, he said the club has to push on.

"We have to stay above the talk of the negativity and stay above the talk of the Browns have done this or this has happened," he said. "We're going to have the mind-set and frame of mind going forward that we're going to get the job done. We're going to do some great things this season. Life goes on and I think our players realize that."

Bentley's injury seemed to sap the spirit out of Cleveland's morning practice, which ended with thunder rumbling in the distance.

The Browns signed Bentley to protect second-year quarterback Charlie Frye and help an offense that scored a league-low 232 points last season. After Bentley was signed, the Browns traded center Jeff Faine on draft day to the Saints.

Savage said the club will look to add a free-agent lineman in the next few days to back up Bob Hallen, who will move into Bentley's starting spot.

Crennel did his best to lighten the mood during an interview after practice, but losing Bentley is a devastating blow to the Browns, who have high hopes for 2006.

For the morning workout, Crennel had his players only wearing shoulder pads, hoping that staying out of full pads on Day 2 of training camp would help them avoid injuries. Crennel said players are reminded to be careful.

"The first general rule is to stay off the ground and protect your teammates," he said. "Sometimes guys will give an extra push in competition. Sometimes they pull a guy down. We talked to them about not giving them that extra push and not pulling guys down."

Bentley took over as the Saints center in training camp two years ago. He started all 16 games in 2004 and was named a Pro Bowl alternate. Last year, he made 14 starts before missing the final two games with an elbow injury.

Bentley, who played at Cleveland's St. Ignatius High School and Ohio State, decided not to re-sign with the Saints for a chance to come home and play for the Browns. He signed a six-year, $36 million deal in March that included $12.5 million in guaranteed money.

At his introductory news conference in Cleveland, Bentley peeled off his sports coat to reveal a Browns No. 00 jersey. He petitioned the league to allow him to wear 00, but was turned down and chose 57.

"He probably wanted to play for the Cleveland Browns as much as anyone we have," Savage said. "We feel real bad for him."

1niksder · Post by **1niksder** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 8:15 pm

air_hog · Post by **air_hog** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 8:52 pm

That is a major blow.

The Browns were finally on the right path too with a hometown player in LeCharles Bently comming back and a new and improved fan base and then Boom...

But this does not mean their season is over, it's just a little air out of the balloon.

1niksder · Post by **1niksder** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 9:30 pm

air_hog wrote:That is a major blow.

The Browns were finally on the right path too with a hometown player in LeCharles Bently comming back and a new and improved fan base and then Boom...

But this does not mean their season is over, it's just a little air out of the balloon.

It's the same thing every year.

2004 Drafted the top TE in the draft - KW, Boom...
2005 Drafted the top WR in the draft - Brandon Edwards, Boom...
2006 Signed the top offensive lineman in FA - LeCharles Bently, it happens again

redskingush · Post by **redskingush** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 11:54 pm

1niksder wrote:
air_hog wrote:That is a major blow.

The Browns were finally on the right path too with a hometown player in LeCharles Bently comming back and a new and improved fan base and then Boom...

But this does not mean their season is over, it's just a little air out of the balloon.

It's the same thing every year.

2004 Drafted the top TE in the draft - KW, Boom...
2005 Drafted the top WR in the draft - Brandon Edwards, Boom...
2006 Signed the top offensive lineman in FA - LeCharles Bently, it happens again

Braylon Edwards at least saw the regular season!!!

Jake · Post by **Jake** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 6:51 am

The Browns must be cursed or something.

I felt bad when I saw this news on TV. I was actually curious to see how the Browns would turn out this year. They have a unique mix of talent.

This is a big blow to the team. I'll be surprised if they make the playoffs this year.

Chris Luva Luva · Post by **Chris Luva Luva** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 7:11 am

Man, that sucks. I hate to see any player get injured. It really lets you know just how hard it is to get through without injury.

air_hog · Post by **air_hog** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 2:44 pm

And the worst part is I guess he really wanted to be a Brown. He was a hometown boy and when he got hurt, I guess he just screamed, "No!" because he knew he was done.

It's pretty much the same scenario the Skins went through with Jansen.

Gibbs was back, Buges was back, and the Dirtbags were here.... when BAM. PreSeason game and the rock of the dirtbags is gone for the season. Definately a low blow to their/our mentality.

Mursilis · Post by **Mursilis** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 3:37 pm

air_hog wrote: But this does not mean their season is over, it's just a little air out of the balloon.

That is one cursed balloon . . .

yupchagee · Post by **yupchagee** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 3:54 pm

Mursilis wrote:
air_hog wrote: But this does not mean their season is over, it's just a little air out of the balloon.

That is one cursed balloon . . .

The real irony is that they traded last yr's starting C to NO.

1niksder · Post by **1niksder** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 9:59 pm

Browns | Bentley has successful surgery
Fri, 28 Jul 2006 18:50:38 -0700

Steve King, of ClevelandBrowns.com, reports Cleveland Browns C LeCharles Bentley (knee) had surgery to repair the patella tendon injury suffered Thursday, July 27. Head coach Romeo Crennel said Bentley's condition would be reviewed in February.

http://www.kffl.com/hotw/nfl