Marcus Benard is back for the Cleveland Browns, but can he succeed in 2012?
The Cleveland Browns 2011 season got off to a rocky start. The lack of an offseason program hindered the new coaching staff’s ability to implement a new offensive and defensive scheme. But two of the biggest blows to occur before the opening of the season were season ending injuries to two key players to the offense and defense. The first was free agent acquisition running back Brandon Jackson who had his season cut short due to a foot injury. Then Linebacker Marcus Benard suffered serious injuries after a motorcycle crash just after the season got underway. Now both players are healthy and back, but Benard was not only uncertain if he could return for the 2012 season, but he was uncertain if he would ever play football again.
The Browns 2010 sack leader came into the 2011 offseason expecting to be a solid starter on the Browns defense. Benard went from undrafted free agent to a solid defensive player in just a matter of a few years. But then after leaving the Browns practice facility on October 10th, Benard wrecked his Can-AM three wheel Spyder when he crashed into a highway guardrail. Police estimated that Benard was thrown approximately 241 feet from his vehicle after the crash. For those of you who don’t know how far that really is, imagine being thrown 80 yards down a football field. Benard suffered numerous injuries including a broken hand which was the only injury that was made public. The Browns put Benard on injured reserve for the year and no one was clear if he would be able to make a full recovery before the 2012 season.
But Benard knows he’s fortunate. He exhibits a thick scar on his head left from the crash and it serves as a constant reminder of how lucky he really is. “I appreciate life," he said, according to The Associated Press. "And I appreciate the sport that I'm playing and my responsibilities to it. It's a blessing and I feel like it's a plan."
Even though Benard is back and healthy he finds that he must work his way into a new defensive scheme. The last full season that Benard played the Browns were running a 3-4 defensive scheme. Now the Browns have switched to the 4-3 as of last season. It will be an uphill battle, but Benard has learned to take nothing for granted.
Michael W. Youngman--Lead Analyst C.B.R.Michael is the Lead Analyst for the Cleveland Browns Report. He has written many articles that have been featured by playerpress.com, cantonrep.com, FoxSports.com, and of course this site. Michael has also written a book titled “The Dayton Project” published in 2008 by PublishAmerica. He makes his home in the Hall of Fame City of Canton Ohio with his wife Lisa and his two children Joseph and Jennifer. To learn more, visit his Website
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