And so ends LeCharles Bentley's forgettable two-year stint with the Browns. In 2006, Cleveland landed Bentley, then one of the best available free agents, to shore up a woeful offensive line, and during his very first practice, he blew out his knee. And we're not talking your average blowout, his knee looked like mashed potatoes for the first year after the injury. He was finally able to pass a physical yesterday.
And today he's been released. Actually, Bentley asked out of his contract because he wants to be a starter. Due to the uncertainty of his return (at one point, there was some talk that his NFL career might be over), the Browns acquired Hank Fraley in 2006, and he's started every game since.
"LeCharles came back to Cleveland to be in integral part of the Cleveland Browns, his hometown team,'' said Feinsod. "Through no fault of the Browns at all, they didn't know if LeCharles was going to come back or not and they moved on with their plans.If Bentley truly is fit enough to play, there will be interest in his services. He was one of the league's best centers before the injury. You'd have to think the Steelers, at the very least, did a double-take when hearing the news. Sean Mahan had a rough go of it last season, replacing Pro Bowler Jeff Hartings. But Pittsburgh signed Justin Hartwig earlier this spring, so you'd have to rule Bentley out. I think.
"But this is not the same team LeCharles signed with. They have commitments to other players. LeCharles is not ready to be an insurance policy at this point.''
Hat tip: PFT
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-11-2008 @ 3:35PM
tom bartoli said...
there is no way he is ready to play. He "passed a physical" meaning the Browns don't have to pay him if released. You can certainly bet that if he was healthy enough to return to his prior playing level, he'd be a Brown, and Hank would be on the bench. To the best of my knowledge the Browns aren't cap-strapped enough to make this a salary cap move. I think this is just a case that they don't believe he will be able to regain the level of play within the length they would be paying him.
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6-11-2008 @ 3:56PM
Eduardo said...
tom, LeCharles requested the release. Not the other way around. Bentley has also always been a 'workout warrior' of sorts since his college days so I sincerely doubt he is not in playing shape, or at least will be by training camp.
Clearly him and his agent think he's healthy and ready enough to earn a better contract than the one year minimum the Browns were going to pay him. If that's the case, and I'm the Steelers, I dump Mahan fast and sign Bentley.
Bentley, like Mahan, can play both positions, and with Stapleton able to backup both of those spots as well, you aren't risking much if Bentley does somehow falter.
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6-11-2008 @ 4:28PM
Tim said...
what a stupid, stupid move. You wait 2 yrs for a guy to come back, and he is finally healthy and ready to play and you let him walk. If he was any where near as good as he was before he got hurt, he waould have beaten out Fraley for the starting center job with ease. Now he goes off prolly to the steelers to make his future pro bowls. Moves like this make it tough to be a Browns fan sometimes.
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6-11-2008 @ 4:56PM
dan said...
who knows the browns could get him like they have done before. i have faith in phill. the guy is very smart at what he does. if he thought bentley would make a difference he would not have let him go. this is still top 5 line in the nfl.probley top 3. go browns.
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6-11-2008 @ 8:48PM
Tim said...
I know he asked to be released but he is a very talented player, yes we have a great o-line now but if u ask the experts they will tell u that fraley is the only weak link on the line, if im savage i tell bentley its his job to loose, if he looses it, then u go back to fraley. i just cant help but think this is big mistake by the Browns and one we will come to regret, even more so if he signs with pittsburg and becomes the anchor of their line.Sounds like to me he was just looking for a commiment from the Browns and after he worked for almost 2 yrs to get back, i think they owed him that much. This is the first major mistake by savage since he became our gm. i just hope it doesnt sting us to bad.
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6-11-2008 @ 11:02PM
Scott_gp said...
The team is interested, or the fans are interested? The title certainly implies the former...the content of the article implies the latter.
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6-12-2008 @ 4:28AM
Mr.G said...
I was floored when I first heard of this,and disappointed at first,but I have to believe this is in the best interests of the Browns.The way I understand it,Bentley's contract this year was based on games played.1 million dollars for every 4 games played,and he would become a Free Agent again next year.Whether he is worth it THIS year is extremely doubtful,and the Browns probably could not afford to keep him next year anyway,so if this is the way he repays the Browns for all their loyalty,money and patience,I say good F***'n riddance.We should have kept Jeff Faine to begin with.
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6-14-2008 @ 2:22AM
Steely Dan said...
Whether he did pass his physical it doesn't mean he is in "starting" mode. He can be a "workout warrior" all he wants Eduardo, but what type of drills has he participated in? NONE!
Lets say he is in great physical shape (which i doubt), He would practically be a rookie with a HIGH liability for any team. This the Browns know and they also know extending his contract and making him a starter right off the bat would set the browns back if his knee blows out halfway through the season.
Any team would be stupid to pay him a butt-load of money to just come in and be a starter. Now if the price is right then i could see it happening. He would be a GREAT addition to the Steeler line which is in desperate need, but i don't see the Steelers paying him a ton of money to just come in and be a starter with his liability.
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