While it's very
encouraging that LeCharles Bentley's surgeon has cleared him to continue his
football career, I'm not getting my hopes up for any meaningful on-field
contribution from this local lineman in 2007.
In fact, the rather
odd nature of his relationship to the team since his catastrophic knee injury
last July may be set to come into more public view in coming days. The upshot
may not be nearly as touchy-feely as suggested by the iconic photo of him
sporting the Browns jersey upon his 2006 free agency
signing.
Hmmm. That "another
doctor" is no pro forma second opinion. It is the all-important judgment of the
Browns medical staff, whose care Bentley has eschewed for the bulk of his
traumatic ordeal.
Quite simply, if the
Browns docs don't pass him, he cannot practice, not even in no-contact drills.
He can work out and attend meetings, but he won't see the field during training
camp. He won't be making line calls. The coaches won't be walking him through
anything.
However, if and when
he does get the green light to practice, he becomes ineligible for the
reserve-PUP (physically unable to perform) list, which provides a roster
exemption for the first six to nine weeks of the season. That means the Browns
would have to count him as part of their 53-man roster if they want him to play
at all this season.
This has the makings
for a pretty serious conflict.
You've
got a very motivated star player in Bentley, who wants and expects to be playing his
preferred position of center for most if not all of the season. And you've got a
coaching staff implementing a new offense who has seen very little if any of
him. (Does he even have the playbook yet?) They want to protect their
potentially $36 million investment for the long term, while also fielding a
revamped line that needs to start fast by winning some big games in
September.
The makings of a
heavyweight training camp storyline are in place.
I'm, of course,
hoping for the best, which may mean that Bentley is coaxed to accept a more
limited role early on, going on PUP with the hope of stepping into the lineup,
perhaps at right guard, by mid-season.