Browns might lose center Bentley for another season

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns center LeCharles Bentley will likely undergo more surgery on a serious knee injury that cost him last season, is jeopardizing another and could end his NFL career.

Cleveland general manager Phil Savage said Tuesday that Bentley is considering a third operation to repair the left patellar tendon he tore on the first full-contact play of training camp last summer.

"If he does elect to have the surgery, then obviously he won't be here for 2007 as an active player," said Savage, adding "it's more likely he will have surgery."

A two-time Pro Bowl selection in New Orleans, Bentley signed a six-year, $36 million free agent contract in March to play for the Browns, his hometown team. But he had his first season in Cleveland end freakishly.

While blocking on a running play on July 27, Bentley tore his tendon planting his foot and before any contact. Following surgery, he got a staph infection, which caused further damage to his tendon.

Bentley needed a second operation just one month after the first to clean out the infection and fix the damage it caused to his tendon. He was hospitalized for more than one month at the Cleveland Clinic.

Savage said even if Bentley has an upcoming surgery and can't play in '07, the team will carry him on its roster and reassess his condition next year.

Savage also offered the possibility Bentley might not play again.

"We certainly owe LeCharles an opportunity to see where he's going to be," he said. "This time next year I think we'll have a much clearer picture in terms if he is really a legitimate piece of the puzzle here or has the injury been so devastating that he may never play again.

"That's something we'll know clearly this time a year from now."

Savage said the club is preparing for free agency and the college draft with the idea Bentley will not be back.

"If we get LeCharles back this year, we would consider that a bonus," he said. "Right now our plans would have to be that he's probably not going to be here in '07."

Savage acknowledged the staph infection was a setback to Bentley's recovery, but the severe nature of his initial injury made it possible that the 27-year-old would need multiple surgeries before playing again.