MVN - Most Valuable Network

Browns Release Bentley

A day after he passed a team physical and was cleared to practice with the team for the first time since the summer of 2006, Browns offensive lineman LeCharles Bentley has been released by the team.

From Cleveland.com:

“LeCharles came back to Cleveland to be in integral part of the Cleveland Browns, his hometown team,” said [Bentley’s agent, Jonathan] 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.

“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.”

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Bentley Back In Business

For the first time since training camp in 2006, Browns offensive lineman LeCharles Bentley will suit up and practice with the team.

Bentley passed his physical yesterday, and it was announced today that he has been cleared to give it a go. Browns General Manager Phil Savage had this to say about Bentley’s physical performance to the Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot:

“It’s obvious from the way he ran the tests that he has been working and that he was prepared for the tests, which was quite a bit different than last fall when we tried to clear him off the physically unable-to-perform list,” said Savage. “So he’s made a lot of progress, he wants to give it a go and we’re willing to do that. We want to do that for him.”

While this is great news for Bentley and the Browns, I don’t know what we can expect from him this year. I don’t see Romeo Crennel making it an open competition for center during camp with the way the offensive line played last season. But like the PD pointed out, he could see some action at guard with Ryan Tucker trying to get back from hip surgery. Bentley played guard and made it to the Pro Bowl at right guard in 2003 with the Saints, but moved back to center a year later and was a Pro Bowl alternate.

Good to see Bentley back and I’m sure he’ll be jacked to get out on the field for his hometown team.

Winslow Arrives At Camp

After not being in the Cleveland area since basically the end of last season, Browns tight-end Kellen Winslow Jr. arrived at Browns headquarters in Berea today and will begin practicing with the team starting with tomorrow’s mandatory mini-camp.

Winslow’s arrival will hopefully answer some questions, mainly, how does his knee look. After February’s surgery, K2 has been rehabbing the knee in San Diego, and after not getting the new contract he wanted, it seems he hasn’t been in touch with the Browns all that much.

Winslow has played through injury since coming to Cleveland, so if his knee holds up this season, he’ll put up sick numbers as always, and in return, it’s likely Savage and company could renegotiate.

Meanwhile, the LeCharles Bentely saga continues to get more and more interesting.

Bentley was given a physical by the team this morning, but no word yet of what his status for camp will be. He didn’t pass the team’s physical last season, and if he fails to do so again, a buyout might be in order. What a sad story if Bentely were to never suit up for the Browns, but at the same time, it does seem like some sort of harsh feelings may exist on both Bentley’s side as well on the end of the Browns. Bentley has never really rehabbed in Cleveland and with the renown Cleveland Clinic being right around the corner, I never really understood why he spent most of his time in Arizona, not taking advantage of the Clinic and getting his knee corrected there.

Who knows, but for now, at least one off-season issue seems to be coming to a head with Winslow. Let’s hope for a healthy K2 and maybe we’ll get to see Bentley in Orange and Brown this summer as well.

Cleveland Browns: A Team Finally Worth Playing With In Madden?!

I’ve played the Madden video game my entire life, and the Browns have never really been a team worth playing with. During my youth when I played the game on Nintendo 64, Terrell Davis and the Denver Broncos were my team. At most, I passed the ball five times a game, as I averaged probably close to 250 rushing yards per-game with Davis, which pretty much annoyed all of my friends. 

The 2009 Madden team ratings for teams and individual players has been released, and the Browns are rated 88 overall (12th overall), which has to be the team’s highest rating ever in Madden. The Patriots took home the top rating at 97, while the Steelers earned a rating of 94, which seems a bit high. Bringing up the rear are the Miami Dolphins and Atlanta Falcons, both earning a 67 rating.

Here’s how the Browns individual player ratings shake down:

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