Browns center LeCharles Bentley likely to miss 2007 season

Quote:

BENTLEY DONE IN '07

Cleveland continues to get terrible news regarding the rash of staph infections that have affected the team over the past three years. Five players have suffered post-surgery infections during that time.

Now, one of those infections could cost prized center LeCharles Bentley another year. Bentley, who signed a six-year, $36 million contract which included a $12 million signing bonus in the offseason, tore his right patellar tendon on the opening day of training camp in July. He subsequently suffered a staph infection and spent more than a month in the hospital.

The infection not only cost Bentley time in his recovery, but he recently had a second surgery performed by Dr. Russ Warren in New York to clean out the knee and check the effect of the infection on the tendon. The news wasn't good, according to two sources.

The infection basically deteriorated the new tendon to the point that Bentley will require another surgery to repair the tendon. The surgery can't be done right away because Bentley's body still hasn't completely healed from the staph infection. Bentley will now likely wait until as late as he possibly can to have another surgery, which could be July or August, still giving him enough time to be ready for the 2008 season.

Agents Jonathan Feinsod and Neil Schwartz have steadfastly declined to comment on Bentley's condition. Browns general manager Phil Savage did not return a call regarding Bentley this week.

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Talk about some horrible f'n luck. The Browns finally bring in a big free agent on the rise at his position, and he gets injured to the point of missing two seasons.