loyalboyd Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 After his boating DUI charge, Cedric Benson remained a starting running back in the eyes of coach Lovie Smith and the Chicago Bears. His weekend DUI charge while in a car in Austin, Texas, has led to his release, however. The Bears placed Benson on waivers Monday, two years before the end of his contract and three years into a disappointing career with the team. "Cedric displayed a pattern of behavior we will not tolerate," Bears general manager Jerry Angelo said in a statement. "As I said this past weekend, you have to protect your job. Everyone in this organization is held accountable for their actions. When individual priorities overshadow team goals, we suffer the consequences as a team. Those who fail to understand the importance of 'team' will not play for the Chicago Bears." Benson wasn't present at the Bears' organized practice Monday. The Chicago Sun-Times reported on its Web site that Benson showed up and was sent home by Smith. Reporters waited for a statement from Angelo as he walked off the field on Monday, but he said the team might have a statement later in the day. High Picks, Low Production This isn't the first time the Bears drafted a running back high and it didn't work out. Of the tailbacks selected in the top five in the past 10 years, the Bears have had two of the four with the least production over their first three years. Draft, Pick Player, Team Yards 1998, 5th Curtis Enis, CHI 1,497 2005, 4th Cedric Benson, CHI 1,593 2005, 5th Cadillac Williams, TB 2,184 2005, 2nd Ronnie Brown, MIA 2,517 The statement turned out to be an action. Benson's name appeared on the NFL's waiver wire Monday afternoon, ending the three-year relationship. Though the 5-foot-10, 220-pound runner claimed his innocence on both DUI charges, the team apparently lost faith in him. Because he's been in the league for only three seasons, Benson does not have his contract automatically terminated. He can be claimed by any other interested team on waivers. Before his release, Benson made one last-ditch effort to repair the situation, issuing an apology on Monday afternoon. "I apologize for making the poor decision to drink and drive during the early morning of Saturday, June 7th," he said in a statement. "Given the incident last month, it was a particularly bad decision. I have no excuse for this lack of judgment. "Though I strongly believe that I am not guilty of any crime, I realize that the public and the Bears organization hold me to higher standard. Though my local attorneys will continue to work hard to prove my innocence, I confess to using poor judgment. Please accept my deepest apology." Benson was arrested on a drunken driving charge in Austin early Saturday and Bears officials said they would treat the matter seriously. Benson's attorney, Sam Bassett, said Saturday that the former Texas star had a few drinks with dinner, but didn't think he was intoxicated, although he acknowledged his client would "probably be in trouble with his team." Benson was pulled over for running a red light and refused to take a breath test or provide blood samples Saturday, Austin police spokeswoman Veneza Aguinaga said. Bassett, however, said Benson thought the light was yellow when he went through around 2 a.m. but stopped immediately when police appeared, and he added that Benson told him he wasn't speeding or driving recklessly. Bassett also said Benson offered to provide police a blood sample for testing and believes video of the arrest will show his client did well in the field sobriety test, although he hasn't seen it yet. Texas law allows a driver to take a blood or breath test for alcohol content, Bassett said. When Benson offered to take a blood test, the arresting officer told him he'd have to take a breath test, which Benson refused, Bassett said. Bassett said he has requested a copy of Benson's arrest videotape and hoped to watch it with a representative of the NFL and or the Bears, as early as this week. "They pulled the trigger early," Bassett said of the Bears. "It's a disappointment to me." The arrest comes a month after Benson was charged in Austin with boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest. He has said neither charge is true, and those cases are pending. Benson rushed for only 1,593 yards in three seasons. Thomas Jones was the Bears' starting running back for Benson's first two seasons. Jones was traded to the Jets before last season, giving Benson the chance to start. It didn't work out on the field. Benson rushed for only 272 yards on 67 carries last season. He couldn't finish the season because of a broken leg. The Bears drafted Tulane running back Matt Forte in the second round, and he will enter camp as the team's possible starter. Adrian Peterson, a longtime Bears backup, will initially be second string. It is not known whether the Bears will pursue another running back. Benson was the fourth pick in the 2005 draft. The team will save $820,000 on the cap by releasing him, but there will be a $2.575 million proration that will count against the 2008 cap. There will be a $2.575 million cap charge for the Bears in 2009. Senior writer John Clayton covers the NFL for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skilly Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 You just know that Shanahan is itching to give Benson a call. Hey, just because Clarrett and Henry didn't work out........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronco Billy Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 You just know that Shanahan is itching to give Benson a call. Hey, just because Clarrett and Henry didn't work out........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazinib1 Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 You just know that Shanahan is itching to give Benson a call. Hey, just because Clarrett and Henry didn't work out........ Motor City is on line 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Furley Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 We should have never gotten rid of Thomas Jones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skilly Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 We should have never gotten rid of Thomas Jones. Pretty much everyone in the universe thought the same thing, except for the Bears front office. Kinda reminded me of how the Ravens dumped Dilfer after the Super Bowl year. That hasn't worked out too well for them either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeR Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 You just know that Shanahan is itching to give Benson a call. Hey, just because Clarrett and Henry didn't work out........ lol That article is rich with comedy material too. GB not a Bears fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pope Flick Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 We should have never gotten rid of Thomas Jones. Because T Jones is a sure fire, first ballot Hall of Famer who should have been spared having a rookie RB drafted to back him up, instead of terribly having to force a trade off the Bears once Benson was drafted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Swerski Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Because T Jones is a sure fire, first ballot Hall of Famer who should have been spared having a rookie RB drafted to back him up, instead of terribly having to force a trade off the Bears once Benson was drafted. Alternatively, the Bears could've stayed with a the productive veteran Jones and the competent Adrian Peterson to back him up, rather than wasting the #4 overall pick on another halfback. Trading up one spot for Braylon Edwards would've made more sense than over-paying for an aging, declining Mushin Muhammad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pope Flick Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Alternatively, the Bears could've stayed with a the productive veteran Jones and the competent Adrian Peterson to back him up, rather than wasting the #4 overall pick on another halfback. Trading up one spot for Braylon Edwards would've made more sense than over-paying for an aging, declining Mushin Muhammad. Well, I'm not playing 'what if' with scenarios, merely pointing out that the popular conception that the Bears 'got rid of Jones' is simply a 100% untruth. He threatened a holdout in a rather whiny manner after the drafting of Benson, in which ONLY a handshake deal from Angelo that the trade would occur per his wishes AFTER the 2006 season got him into camp. In short, the facts are: Jones forced the trade after Benson was drafted. The Bears did NOT draft Benson then trade Jones after the 2006 season because they thought they were set, they knew Jones wouldn't return. Benson sucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 You just know that Shanahan is itching to give Benson a call. Hey, just because Clarrett and Henry didn't work out........ Just because it's true, that doesn't make it funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
policyvote Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Motor City is on line 2 You think Ced can play wide reciever? Peace policy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Swerski Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 (edited) Well, I'm not playing 'what if' with scenarios, merely pointing out that the popular conception that the Bears 'got rid of Jones' is simply a 100% untruth. He threatened a holdout in a rather whiny manner after the drafting of Benson, in which ONLY a handshake deal from Angelo that the trade would occur per his wishes AFTER the 2006 season got him into camp. In short, the facts are: Jones forced the trade after Benson was drafted. The Bears did NOT draft Benson then trade Jones after the 2006 season because they thought they were set, they knew Jones wouldn't return. Benson sucks. I'm not saying that Jones is an angel or anything, but I'd be pretty pissed as well if I carried the Bears' pathetic offense on my back in 2004 by leading the team in rushing AND receptions, and Angelo "rewarded" me by drafting Benson with the #4 overall pick the following April. I'm not saying that Jones went about his business the right way, but he had a reason to be pissed. And it didn't help that Benson somehow felt "entitled" to the starting position in his rookie year, to the extent that it not only pissed off Jones, but the rest of his teammates as well. Edited June 11, 2008 by Bill Swerski Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Because T Jones is a sure fire, first ballot Hall of Famer who should have been spared having a rookie RB drafted to back him up, instead of terribly having to force a trade off the Bears once Benson was drafted. No he isn't but I thought his last year they could have told him; "we have to give Benson a shot. Hang tight. If he sucks you can have the job." I think he may well have hung on for up to 2 years. TJ failed in several places and succeeded in Chicago. I think he would have preferred to stay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeR Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 TJ failed in several placesHence the reason for drafting Benson. Looked like a good idea at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Hence the reason for drafting Benson. Looked like a good idea at the time. I expect Napoleon thought that about invading Russia. There were a hugh number of us right here on this board that completely failed to understand what the Bears were playing at when they drafted Benson. It wasn't the fact that it was Benson in particular, it was the fact that on the offense, halfback was about the only thing that DIDN'T need fixing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pope Flick Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 I'm not saying that Jones is an angel or anything, but I'd be pretty pissed as well if I carried the Bears' pathetic offense on my back in 2004 by leading the team in rushing AND receptions, and Angelo "rewarded" me by drafting Benson with the #4 overall pick the following April. I'm not saying that Jones went about his business the right way, but he had a reason to be pissed. And it didn't help that Benson somehow felt "entitled" to the starting position in his rookie year, to the extent that it not only pissed off Jones, but the rest of his teammates as well. You sound like a TJ apologist: he had no reason to expect the Bears to act in the best wishes of Thomas Jones. They have to act in the best interests of the Chicago Bears. They THOUGHT they had a nice shot at a thunder & lightning type of situation, with a solidly established lightning already on board. Turns out, he took it personally and acted unprofessionallly. That's a fact and pointing to benson's own unprofessionality as a motivator for TJ's doesn't wash with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Swerski Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 (edited) You sound like a TJ apologist: Did TJ boink your sister or something? Because you consistently go out of your way to crap on him whenever his name is mentioned. They THOUGHT they had a nice shot at a thunder & lightning type of situation, with a solidly established lightning already on board. I call BS on this. You don't draft a workhorse college halfback #4 overall and give him $15 million up front to be an RBBC back. Angelo was looking for the next Payton. Jones was kept around because (1) his contract was relatively inexpensive and (2) Benson was an unproven commodity. Turns out, he took it personally and acted unprofessionallly. I didn't realize that threatening to hold out and asking for a trade after Angelo threw him under the bus was so horribly unprofessional. There are quite a few NFL players who have threatened to hold out over the years, and I don't see how Jones is any less professional than those guys. That's a fact and pointing to benson's own unprofessionality as a motivator for TJ's doesn't wash with me. So are Benson's other teammates, who took shots at him in training camp and ratted him out to the media, also "unprofessional" for using Benson's locker room douchebaggery as a motivator for their behavior? TJ is far from the only person that Benson massively pissed off. I expect Napoleon thought that about invading Russia. There were a hugh number of us right here on this board that completely failed to understand what the Bears were playing at when they drafted Benson. It wasn't the fact that it was Benson in particular, it was the fact that on the offense, halfback was about the only thing that DIDN'T need fixing. +1 Put yourself in TJ's shoes: You carry the Bears' sorry-ass offense on your back in 2004, far exceeding expectations - and returned your boss' investment in you several times over. And with all of the holes around you on that offense, your boss uses the #4 overall pick three months later to draft... a guy who is projected to take your job within the next year. If TJ didn't get massively pissed off on draft day, he had no business playing the NFL because he has no balls. Was it unprofessional for him to complain to the media? Yes. But if there was ever a set of circumstances that merited cutting a guy some slack, it was this situation. Edited June 12, 2008 by Bill Swerski Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pope Flick Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Did TJ boink your sister or something? Because you consistently go out of your way to crap on him whenever his name is mentioned. No - there is simply no room for your unsurpassed (and others) man love for a guy who had one year of 1500 total and not even 10 TDs. He was average, just past mediocre at best and had ZERO history from Az or TB to show he was capable of doing it again - and he never did. Also - where were the holes on the O when Benson was drafted? The line had a good year and didn't fal apart until 2007. Berrian was still around along with some of the younger WRs at the time. Braylon Edwards instead of Benson? Perhaps, but don't make it sound like the 2005 Bears O was swiss cheeze that needed an overhaul - it didn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Swerski Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 (edited) No - there is simply no room for your unsurpassed (and others) man love for a guy who had one year of 1500 total and not even 10 TDs. He was average, just past mediocre at best and had ZERO history from Az or TB to show he was capable of doing it again - and he never did. Wow, you must've lost some serious coin betting against Jones to harbor that much resentment towards him. I never claimed that Jones was a stud. But the fact that he could average 4.0 yds/carry and catch 56 passes on an '04 Bears team that was ranked dead last in total offense and points scored suggests that he's pretty solid. And I'd say that 1,300+ yds with 4.3 yds/carry under Kyle Orton back in '05 wasn't bad either. He's rushed for well over 1,000 yds in each of the past three seasons, including this past season on a terrible Jets team. Also - where were the holes on the O when Benson was drafted? You mean the same offense that ranked dead last in the NFL four months beforehand? The line had a good year and didn't fal apart until 2007. Berrian was still around along with some of the younger WRs at the time. Braylon Edwards instead of Benson? Perhaps, but don't make it sound like the 2005 Bears O was swiss cheeze that needed an overhaul - it didn't. The Bears didn't have a legitimate starting WR in '04. They severely over-paid for a declining Muhammad, who not surprisingly was unable to put up anything close to what he did in Carolina. But they still didn't have a #2 WR in '05. Berrian and Bradley combined for a whopping 31 receptions that year, and Justin Gage (346 yds and a stellar 11.2 yds/rec) was the de facto #2 wideout that year. Their O-line had two quality players in Kreutz and Tait, but Fred Miller and Reuben Brown were at the tail end of their careers. For a team that wanted to feature the run on offense, one would think that having better O-line depth would've been a priority. As Ursa pointed out, Angelo drafting a halfback at #4 overall in the '05 draft was just plain stupid. Jones was more than adequate, he was relatively cheap, and was still a 1,000-yd back last season. Angelo could've traded up one spot for Braylon Edwards or, at the very least, traded down for an extra pick that could've been used elsewhere. There's absolutely no point in using a Top 5 pick and paying Top 5 guaranteed money on a position that doesn't need to be filled. Edited June 12, 2008 by Bill Swerski Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 You sound like a TJ apologist: he had no reason to expect the Bears to act in the best wishes of Thomas Jones. They have to act in the best interests of the Chicago Bears. They THOUGHT they had a nice shot at a thunder & lightning type of situation, with a solidly established lightning already on board. Turns out, he took it personally and acted unprofessionallly. That's a fact and pointing to benson's own unprofessionality as a motivator for TJ's doesn't wash with me. Did they act in the best interest of the Bears? I'm sure that's what they thought but would they do it again? Are they interested in KJ? http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/footb...0,2216700.story Kevin Jones offers his services to Bears Ex-Lions RB thinks he would help By Vaughn McClure | Tribune reporter 11:12 PM CDT, June 11, 2008 Shortly after the Detroit Lions released him in March, Kevin Jones made a phone call to Tommie Harris—a former rival on the field but a close friend off it dating back to their high school all-star days. "He was surprised, just as a lot of people around the league were surprised," Jones, a free-agent running back, said Wednesday night. "I told him I'd love to come out there and that he needed to holler at one of the coaches for me. Tommie said, 'Yeah, I'll talk to them.' " The Bears might not need Harris' prodding to make a move on Jones. His agent, Blake Baratz, called the Bears shortly after Cedric Benson was arrested for the second time in five weeks. Benson was released Monday, leaving the starting job in the hands of rookie Matt Forte. Jones might not be bad insurance. "Chicago would be the perfect situation," Jones said. "I'm familiar with the division. The Bears, they know what I have. I've made plays against them. I made plays against other teams in the league. Chicago would just be perfect. And I hope they know it would be perfect too." The feedback Jones received through his agent is that the Bears like his ability but are in no rush to make a decision. Jones, a former first-round pick who rushed for 1,000 yards as a rookie, continues to work out in Saline, Mich., trying to rehab from a torn ACL in his right knee sustained last season. He had a left-foot injury at the end of the 2006 season. "To me, I'm a franchise player who just had a couple of unfortunate injuries back to back," Jones said. "It's a business. I know there are concerns about my health. But at the same time, I'm on pace to where I need to be to be successful this season." Jones had planned a private workout for teams later this month, but he's more likely simply to send interested teams a highlight of his personal workout. You can bet the Bears will be on the mailing list. "My career ain't over," Jones said. "And when I get on the field, I will prove it." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budlitebrad Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 "Chicago would be the perfect situation," Jones said. "I'm familiar with the division. The Bears, they know what I have. I've made plays against them. I made plays against other teams in the league. Chicago would just be perfect. And I hope they know it would be perfect too." Wow, I guess KJ has really hit rock bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Wow, I guess KJ has really hit rock bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Wow, I guess KJ has really hit rock bottom. No that would be reuniting with Martz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Any word from Goodell yet on how long Benson's suspension will be? Any guesses? I'll guess four games. He waiting for another DUI before making a decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.