LeCharles Bentley released by Browns

by Ailuridae on Jun 11, 2008 3:59 PM CDT Comment 14 comments

ESPN article discussing details of release

He's a player I think we should consider signing assuming available cap room and the ilk.

I think either him or Gurode would be highly effective playing RG in Kosier's stead. I know I am not the only fan who sees Kosier as the weakest player on our OL.

But there is another reason and I realize I am in a small minority here so I will be brief. Basically for all the things Dre Gurode did very well last year he struggled mightily in one area: shotgun snaps. It wasn't just the three balls he pitched over Romo's head in the season. Towards the end of the season, he developed a case of the yips. Think Mackey Sasser or Chuck Knoblauch. Instead of a crisp, clean snap to Romo that he didn't have to see to catch the ball floated and fluttered back to him and often made him make (admittedly small) adjustments side to side. During those adjustments Romo isn't looking downfield and when the ball is fluttering obviously it gives the pass rush a sizeable advatage. Not having clean snaps causes other problems too like not allowing your other offensive lineman attack (they are worried about false starts) on the run or fall back quickly against a pass rush. Obviously this is more of a problem for tackles than guards.

So basically I want better insurance than Corey Proctor if Gurode and Houck can't address this problem. I have no idea what Bentley will cost but i suspect there is a very good chance we can rent him chaeply for a year if he is given a legitimate chance to compete for a starting job at center or guard. And there isn't really a downside - we know that Gurode can be highly effective at guard.

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hmmm

What puzzles me is why he asked for release, since he just passed his phsycial?

Bizarre

"Why everything that's supposed to be bad, Make me feel so good?"

by Wmillion on Jun 11, 2008 4:45 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

he had a severe injury...damaged goods...no thanks..

A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.

"If you don’t take him off the field as a coach, he will just about die out there," Jerry Jones said. "That impacted my decision. It’s a Michael Irvin-type work ethic. That’s what we are talking about with Felix Jones."
- Owner/G.M of the Dallas Cowboys , Jerry Jones

by BoyzRback on Jun 11, 2008 5:03 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

co-sign

"Jerry Jones offers more second chances than a tent revival." -- Kevin Sherrington, The Dallas Morning News

www.brainfriednetwork.com [NEWS/SPORTS/FOOTBALL]

by silverblue5 on Jun 11, 2008 11:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kosier is the left guard, not the right guard

One of the probems of Gurodes shotgun snaps is the fact that the guy sweats a great deal making his hands harder to grip the ball. He also spent alot of the offseason working on his snaps. I would not consider moving him back to guard, he finally gets it at center and has really improved over the last two years, now considered one of the better centers in the league so why would you want to screw that up by moving him to guard when Bentley hasn’t played a down in over two years..

Bentley was cut for the reason that the browns have been without him for two seasons and had to move on with another option at center, thats why he asked to be released as he wanted a chance to start somewhere, it wont be in Cleveland, so I think you can count Dallas out of the running for Bentley

by Deke on Jun 11, 2008 5:17 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Ahman Green had the sweats too

A special fabric band helped him reduce his fumbles as a result.

Bentley won’t be as cheap as people think.

Besides, Dallas needs to keep it’s powder dry (money) in case a potential #2 WR becomes available closer to final cutdowns. Kosier may be the weak link in the O-line, but Bentley’s health scares me a lot.

"Well, we didn't block real good but we made up for it by not tackling."

- John McKay, the first coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

by 5Blings on Jun 11, 2008 6:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

+1 across the Board

Kosier not being an All-Pro is not going to cost us any games, plus we a couple of young guys who are ready, and wouldn’t cost nearly as much as bentley.. Promote from within if had to make a move. Kosier is fine, not an all-pro, but servicable.

"Why everything that's supposed to be bad, Make me feel so good?"

by Wmillion on Jun 11, 2008 6:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Gurode is a top notch center, with the long term contract that goes with it

No way Bentley comes to Dallas to play backup center. Plus, the staff seems comfortable with Proctor as the backup (with a small price tag).

I have to say I’m surprised the Brownies cut him after carrying him for 2 years, he just passed his physical and got cleared to play. So now they let him go for nothing? Weird.

T-New, shutting down WR's for Dallas since 2003

by APerfectStar on Jun 11, 2008 7:41 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Bentley as a center is only an insurance policy

I want him to come in and play LG as I am no fan of Kosier. If Gurode can’t fix his shotgun snap problem (I am hopeful but skeptical as I think its between his ears) I want high end insurance.

As for the player himself when he was healthy he looked to be well on his way to a excellent, borderline HOF career. SI’s offensive Rookie of the Year playing guard as a rookie, a Pro Bowl appearance as a second year playing guard, a Pro Bowl alternate his third season when he moved back to Center and another Pro Bowl appearance as a fourth year player at center. He then signed the biggest deal for a center in NFL history (pretty sure that’s right) and had two years of injuries including a freakish staph infection (these have actually been a pretty big problem for the Browns).

by Ailuridae on Jun 11, 2008 9:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think they kept him for several reasons

ONE, they would have had to release him injured, meaning they would be on the hook for the contract, and SECOND, they were probably just protecting their interests in case their plans at C without him fell through. They had no way of know what the future held.

by John Boy on Jun 12, 2008 10:55 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

But you'd think they'd at least let him compete in TC to unseat Fraley or Tucker at OG

If Bentley can play, he was at one time considered amongst the best centers in the league. Just seems like a long road to a possible payoff, but the Browns cut him right before they find out.

T-New, shutting down WR's for Dallas since 2003

by APerfectStar on Jun 12, 2008 3:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Isn't Bentley a C

These post state bring him in but isn’t he a Center and I am happy with Andre

"Support Our Troops"

Have the intelligence to know the difference between the Policy and the Soldiers!

by afl_storm on Jun 11, 2008 8:40 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

we have too much money wrapped up

in our OL as it is, you can only put so much money in one position.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Jun 12, 2008 7:48 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Dallas has not signed Hamlin and Canty

to long-term deals. I think we are done for the year in acquiring long-shots until we get those two done. The salary cap does play a big part in the acquisition and retention of players and I am hoping that Canty at least will have been promised a contract once the cap has the room. Hamlin may not get another year if Henry or another safety can show they are ready to replace him. But mid-season that decision will need to be made and an extension will need to be offered if we want to keep him. We are far higher than we should be on O-line % of cap because of Rogers and Peterman busts.

There is also the theory (proven it seems) that O-lines get better with continuity. Keeping our guys together is a high priority and we return one of the very top O-lines in the league.

I am doubtful that Bentley gets to start this year for any team but that is secondary to the points above. Even if he proves better than he was before we are fine without him.

by lee3022 on Jun 14, 2008 3:52 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn't mess with our O-Line now

We arguably had one of the top 5 O-lines in the league last year, a stark change from the last couple of years. You state that Kosier is the weakEST but that does not mean he is bad. He was actually better than I thought he would be. He’s not like Rob Petitti who SINGLEHANDEDLY ruined our 05-06 season. But, we shouldn’t have given a sixth round pick the responsibility of protecting the immobile Bledsoe from top defensive ends in the league.

by ctrain7379 on Jun 18, 2008 2:24 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs