DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Bentley out til 08.

Bentley to remain on PUP
Jeff Walcoff, Staff Writer
11.06.2007
Browns offensive lineman LeCharles Bentley will remain on the team's physically unable to perform list, the team announced Tuesday.


The move means he's ineligible to practice with the team or play for the remainder of the 2007 season. It delays the comeback hopes of the Cleveland native, who was hoping to return to the active roster and make his debut as a Brown this season.


Bentley spent the first nine weeks of the regular season on the club's physically unable to perform list continuing to rehab from a knee injury suffered during a training camp practice on July 27, 2006.


Bentley returned to the Browns for 2007 training camp, when he was placed on the training camp PUP list. He participated in meetings with his teammates and was on the field for a handful of practices.


Now, Bentley will have several more months to recover and will concentrate on returning to the field healthy for the 2008 season.


"As we've said all along, we want to give LeCharles the best opportunity for a successful return," general manager Phil Savage said. "It is our belief that allowing him to continue his rehabilitation in preparation for 2008 training camp is the best way to do that.


"LeCharles has made significant progress since July and we remain hopeful that he will be able to return to the field as a Cleveland Brown."


**from main site**

I would have loved to see him out there this year, but I'm not too surprised by this move.

Our O-line is going extremely well this year. Let Bentley heal up completely, and come in in '08 and compete for a starting job at Center or RG with Hank playing the other.

I know a lot of people have been foaming at the mouth to get him back in action, I am one of them, but I think this is a good thing. I want to see him come back as healthy and strong as possible. I'd rather see him start a fresh new season than jump back in the trenches now. And you know he'll come back w/ passion, fire, and the desire to win that starting job.

That certainly sucks, but it's also certainly not surprising. I really wish him a 100% recovery (or as close as he's going to make it) and he can come back next year and really compete for a starting spot.

Bringing him back now would have been the dumbest move we could have done. He hasn't been in pads or contact drills for a season and a half, and no way would he be game ready this season anyways.

It was the obvious move to make at this point and time. All we can do is hope that he can bounce back and at minimum add depth to our OLine. I wish him well in his continuing rehab.

This is a good thing.

We don't bring him back too soon and risk losing him forever.

Next year, we don't have to look for OL help, we'll have the best line we've had since the line that blocked for Jim Brown and Leroy Kelley

Shaff (Tuck)
Bentley (McKinney) (Tuck) (Friedman) (Fraley)
Fraley (Bentley) (Friendman)
Steinbach (Friedman) (Bentley)
Thomas (Shaff)

In 2 years, Savage has turned the weakest position group on our team, into one of the strongest position groups in the league...and some people here think he should go and he's over his head...some people just love whizzing uphill!

Agreed..next offseason see where he's at and if he can let him compete for a RG spot..
We need to look for front 7 upgrades not Oline help..

I figured this was coming. A part of me was really hoping to see Bentley come back and plug in at RG, but letting him rehab for almost another full year is by far the most intelligent move. I'd hate to see him come back for a few games, then blow his still-weakened tendon out and end his career, especially when our line is clearly playing well enough to afford him the luxury of sitting. As much as I want to see him, just once, line up in the orange and brown, I'd rather him do that for the rest of his career than a few games.

A full training camp and pre-season will do wonders for LeCharles. It stinks to wait another year to see him finally get to live out his dream, but it's the best option for all parties involved.

I felt this was coming as well, but man do I ever feel for the guy.

He's a native Clevelander and this is his dream to play here.. and he's getting deprived of it. That's just got to be heartbreaking.

TCB LCB.... and cya in '08

lol

[edited it]

I think it is the safee move. I am sure Bentley is wanting to play this year and from what I have been hearing he has looked very good but Savage really wants LeCharles 100% and considers him a major part of the future of this organization.

Why am I not surprised by this move... it makes a ton of sense but I bet Bentley is ticked off... Oh well, thems the breaks,,

Hey, correct me if I'm wrong here, but isn't McKinney a FA in March... could be a real nice thing to see Bentley slide right in there... Wow,,

Tucker/Shaffer
Bentley
Fraley
Stiney
Thomas

NICE

Bummer, but I guess it's for the best.

Can't wait to see next years o-line.

Not surprising...would have been nice to see him start to gel with our new line..

Its for the best..we would not want to rick him getting hurt for his career

THOMAS-STEINI-FRALEY-BENTLEY-SHAFFER....
Me likey for 08

Good... He should be 95-100% come the 08 season... and we can work him back in nice and slow...

most likely as our RG...

Didn't he opt not to have surgery to fully repair his tendon in order to play this year? So now he is missing all this year and playing next year with a damaged tendon instead of not playing this year and entering next year with a repaired tendon, correct? By waiting this long he basically misses a full season without the benefit of a repaired tendon? I hope I'm wrong, but that is how I remember it. Anyone else with a better memory/more info than me want to correct/clarify?

if I remember correctly...

if he got the other surgery.. he wouldn't be playing at all..

Oh, ok, thanks.

clicking on ya.

Not surprising.
Two seasons lost now, I feel sorry for Bentley. He may never play again, but I truly hope he does. Isn't this eerily similar to KW2, who brought such high hopes but was out for basically two years?

Good luck in 2008, LeCharles. Fight the good fight.

Today is his birthday. Happy Birthday LCB.