By Joe Milicia
Associated Press
BEREA -- Cleveland Browns center LeCharles Bentley has decided against another surgery on his injured left knee -- for now.
That doesn't mean he'll be back on the field this season.
Bentley's agent Jonathan Feinsod said a third operation on his left patellar tendon that had been scheduled for Tuesday was canceled.
Bentley will continue to rehab the knee over the next three to four weeks, general manager Phil Savage said Tuesday.
"It's probably a good sign that he's not having the surgery," Savage said. "That shows there's probably some progress with his knee."
Savage said he hasn't spoken to Bentley since before the free agency period started in early March. Bentley has been rehabbing in Arizona and Columbus.
"At least there's a thought process that he's healing up enough to a point where he can at least think about it (playing)," Savage said.
Feinsod declined to comment on Bentley's chances for a comeback.
A two-time Pro Bowl selection in New Orleans, Bentley signed a six-year, $36 million free agent contract in March 2006 to play for his hometown team. He tore up the knee on the first full-contact play of Cleveland's training camp last summer.
Following surgery, he got a staph infection, which caused further damage to his tendon.
Bentley needed a second operation a 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.
"LeCharles is a unique situation. He's a hometown guy. He got a big contract and it ended in one day," Savage said. "He's a unique player and talent too."
Even in Bentley's absence, Savage likes where the Browns offensive line stands following the free agent signings of Eric Steinbach and Seth McKinney, the re-signing of center Hank Fraley and guard Lennie Friedman, the return of veteran Ryan Tucker from illness, and the drafting of Wisconsin tackle Joe Thomas with the No. 3 overall pick.
"Overall, our depth on the offensive line is probably better than it's been since the team came back in '99. It's certainly been a focus of ours, obviously," Savage said. "If LeCharles could make a comeback, that adds even more ability to that group."
Thomas could help right away, but getting him to training camp on time along with quarterback Brady Quinn and the Browns' second-round pick, cornerback Eric Wright, is another issue.
The Browns have sent proposals to their draft picks and have met with representatives of top three picks, Savage said.
Cleveland had success last year with linebacker Kamerion Wimbley, the 13th overall pick. Of the first-round picks, Wimbley was the second to reach a deal.
This year's negotiations could be trickier with Thomas selected so high and Quinn, a No. 22 pick who doesn't expect to paid like one.
"Their viewpoint is going to be there's a premium with the quarterback position," Savage said. "There's going to be some natural argument built in to this negotiation."
Quinn's throwing accuracy had been off during the team's three weeks of organized team activity practices, which end this week. Savage though said Quinn has been progressing well.
"Mentally, he's on track to learn the offense," Savage said. "He seems to have a natural ability to learn very quickly."
Coach Romeo Crennel said Tuesday that Charlie Frye's experience gives him a leg up in the quarterback competition even though a new offensive system is being installed under first-time coordinator Rob Chudzinski.
Savage said the fact that Frye, Quinn and Derek Anderson are learning a new offense levels the competition a bit.
"That's definitely a factor," he said. "If we had the same offense, same coordinator, same offensive coaches, you would have to say Charlie would have a big advantage over the rest of the guys."
Savage believes after three offseasons of overhauling the roster that the organization has a core group of players in place to start consistently winning football games and be competitive in the AFC North.
"Everybody here feels like there's an immediacy to show progress," Savage said.
The Browns needed only to look downtown Saturday night at fans celebrating in the streets after the Cleveland Cavaliers won an Eastern Conference championship to envision what the city might look like if the Browns ever won anything.
"It just shows you how excited the city gets for championships," wide receiver Joe Jurevicius said. "If that's not a lesson to ourselves over here on the football field, we'll never figure it out."