Due to the restricted access on Day 1 of OTAs, there wasn't a lot of news floating around the Internet and local newspapers around Northeastern Ohio. However, here are a few bread crumbs that you can feed off until later tonight or tomorrow morning (media sources will have attended Wednesday's OTAs):
- LeCharles Bentley: On Day 1, former Pro Bowl center LeCharles Bentley was again absent, although this shouldn't be taken as any sort of setback. According to the Plain Dealer, Bentley's agent, Jonathan Feinsod, guaranteed that Bentley will play football in 2008. Granted, that could be a long ways away -- such as December 2008 -- but chances are Bentley will be on the field much sooner than that. If he's not, I'd expect Bentley's uneventful, yet rather long stay with the Browns, to be a short one (awkward way to phrase it, I know).
- Kellen Winslow: Winslow was the other person who didn't show up to Tuesday's OTA, according to the Plain Dealer. Of course this wasn't a surprise, as it has been reported for about a week or so that this would be rookie Martin Rucker's chance to shine.
- Where's Baxter: No sources have come out yet and directly stated whether or not Gary Baxter was on the field, so technically that should mean he was participating. We'll probably receive a confirmation after today's practice.
In slightly related news, the Akron Beacon Journal reported yesterday that when defensive back Kenny Wright was arrested last month, it wasn't the first time he had a post-season run-in with the law:
Brazoria County (Texas) district attorney Jeri Yenne said Tuesday that Wright already had a marijuana possession charge pending when he was picked up last month in Pearland, a Houston suburb.
I'll spare you the misery of seeing Wright's picture again, but this outlines another issue that will hopefully work itself out in the coming weeks: finding another Leigh Bodden. If you remember, Bodden was an undrafted free agent several years ago when he first joined the Browns who started catching everyone's eyes in training camp. If the Browns are fortunate enough to stumble upon a similar player this offseason, we can comfortably cut ties with K. Wright pronto.
EDIT (5:10 PM): The Browns have parted ways with Wright soon after he was not at Wednesday's OTAs due to "personal" reasons. Good riddance.