During the 2011 season, the Browns opted to pay linebacker Marcus Benard after a motorcycle accident ended his season. They don’t plan to pay him in 2012.
More specifically, they don’t plan to make the potential restricted free agent a tender offer.
A league source tells PFT that the Browns have informed Benard that he won’t receive one of the various possible RFA tenders, which means he’ll be free to leave as of March 13 at 4:00 p.m. ET.
That doesn’t mean the Browns will give Benard the boot; indeed, coach Pat Shurmur said last year that the undrafted free agent out of Jackson State has a future with the team. If so, it’ll happen because the Browns choose to offer him a free-agent contract -- and because Benard chooses to accept it.