BROWNS CAMP
More pain, no gain Hallen's injury depletes line again
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Tony Grossi
Plain Dealer Reporter
The Browns are down to their third center after Bob Hallen suffered back spasms on Monday and missed the evening practice.
They concluded the day with Alonzo Ephraim, a fourth-year player signed a week ago, as the No. 1 center snapping to quarterback Charlie Frye.
Hallen participated in the morning practice apparently without incident. Some time during the afternoon, Hallen experienced back spasms and was examined by a team physician.
Coach Romeo Crennel said after the evening session he had no new information because he had not talked with the team doctor.
Hallen had a "back issue" at San Diego before he joined the Browns, Crennel said.
Hallen, a nine-year pro from Mentor and Kent State, was signed in free agency to serve as a veteran backup at guard and center. He was thrust into the starting center position when LeCharles Bentley, the prize of the Browns' free agency spending spree, suffered a torn patellar tendon on the second practice day on July 27.
Bentley, who had surgery last week, is out for the season. Hallen's injury will keep him out indefinitely.
The Browns play their first preseason game Thursday in Philadelphia.
Since Hallen's promotion, the Browns had been seeking to bolster their depth at center and guard with a veteran swingman.
They brought in Ephraim, who previously played with Philadelphia, and Todd Washington, most recently with Houston. Washington retired on Sunday.
The Browns added another center candidate, Mike Mabry, on Sunday. He was originally a seventh-round draft choice of Baltimore and also spent time with Cincinnati and Atlanta. He has not appeared in an NFL game in three years.
Hallen's injury puts the situation into crisis mode.
"We'll have to do our homework, see what's available and go from there," Crennel said.
General Manager Phil Savage, the eternal optimist fighting to keep injuries from decimating his team's morale, may now have to amp up efforts to trade for a center.
"Every team's got one or two guys [who may be available], but it depends on if you've got something they want," he said.
Savage is loathe to part with future draft picks, but he may have no other choice. That is, if he can find a team willing to part with a center. Starting-caliber centers just don't become available at the snap of a finger.
That's why Savage had been content to ride out the Bentley injury with Hallen and seek a backup.
Ephraim, 25, made five starts in 40 career games with Philadelphia. All were at right guard. He was signed by the Eagles in 2003 as an undrafted free agent from Alabama.
The center playing behind Ephraim on Monday was Rob Smith, who was signed in May as an undrafted free agent from Tennessee. Smith has been involved in numerous bad exchanges with the backup quarterbacks, mostly Derek Anderson.
"Rob's kind of like me," Crennel said earlier in the day. "When he gets hot and sweaty, he perspires quite a bit and sometimes it drips on the ball. During this camp, with the heat and humidity, he is perspiring on the ball and the quarterback isn't quite ready for it in those instances."
Besides Bentley and Hallen, the Browns will be without right tackle Ryan Tucker throughout the preseason. Tucker had arthroscopic surgery last week to clean out loose particles in his left knee. They also have lost rookie guard Isaac Sowells indefinitely with an ankle injury.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
tgrossi@plaind.com, 216-999-4670
One question for you BGP...Name one positional grouping on the Browns that you would take over the Steelers (i.e. QBs, WRs, O-line, etc.). For that matter name the starters from the 2006 Browns squad that would start for the 2006 Steelers. Bentley might have been it.
