Today marked the first day of practice for several teams around the league. The preseason is a very optimistic time for all the teams; everyone has the same record, every team still has a chance, and anything can unfold during the season. However, it seems that every preseason is marred by the injury of a marquee name. While many people don't tend to think of offensive lineman as premiere names, the Browns lost the prize of their free agency class for the season in today's first practice. Two time Pro Bowl Center LeCharles Bentley is lost for the 2006 season to a torn patellar ligament in his knee. At age 26 he is an up and coming force on the offensive line and this is a devastating loss for the Browns. They spent their offseason on a major roster overhaul that featured the additions of Bentley, Willie McGinest, and Joe Jurevicius among others. All were expected to play big roles in what the Browns were hoping would be their first winning season since returning to Cleveland several years ago.
The injury to Bentley demonstrates why holdouts are so frequent in NFL contract negotiations. It is the only sport that players routinely lose their season at practice and many never get to play a down in the regular season. It is also the sport that typically pays the least guaranteed money. For this reason, it is crucial that players work a significant portion of their contract to be guaranteed. With rookies, this may be the only chance they haveto leverage the team for this kind of money. While I still find rookie holdouts to be an unbelieveable waste of time, the frequency of major injuries in the pre-season makes it a bit more understandable.
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