With a new deal, Bengal RB puts his past behind him. Brad Biggs
Cedric Benson has moved on, but he hasn’t forgotten the guy he once battled for playing time, and the guy who once punched him during practice.
Former teammate Thomas Jones was at the center of the first dust-up in New York Jets camp on Monday morning when he objected to safety James Ihedigbo wrapping up too hard. That sparked a fight, according to reports.
“Typical,” Benson said. “That’s the kind of guy he is. I don’t pay attention to what is going on in his world.”
APCedric Benson
One scout said the simmering dislike, which might put it mildly, that Benson and Jones held for each other is what fueled a productive running game for the Bears in 2006. Each back ran hard every time he was in the game because he didn’t want the other coming off the sideline. Benson’s career in Chicago faded quickly after the ’06 Super Bowl run. He struggled as the featured back in 2007 after Jones was given away to New York in a trade and was cut 14 months ago following two alcohol-related arrests in Texas for which he was ultimately cleared.
With the burden of being the No. 4 pick in the 2005 draft removed in Cincinnati, Benson’s career is back on track. He signed a $7-million, two-year contract in March and should be a pivotal part of a Bengals offense that will be led by the return of Carson Palmer. When Benson was chugging away last season after signing in Week 5, he didn’t have the benefit of Palmer or the usually potent Cincinnati passing attack. Picking up the playbook as he went, he improved as the year progressed, rushing for 355 yards on 84 carries in the final three games. Two of the games were against the 28th- and 30th-ranked run defenses, but he gives the Bengals a presence in the backfield they’ve been missing for a few seasons, and his first training camp there will help.
“The Bengals sure hit the jackpot,”’ Benson said. “It was just me playing football the way I always have. For some reason, the scheme, the way they ran the zone here, it just panned out. It’s all about the opportunity.”
His first opportunity against his former team will come in Week 7 when Chicago travels to Paul Brown Stadium.
“I’m sure they know they made a mistake [releasing me],” Benson said, “after the way I finished last season. But I’m not worried about them. It’s in the past and I’ve moved on. I had a career-high in touches and yards in a little more than half a season, more than I ever had in Chicago. That tells you the story right there.”
Cedric Benson is a Grade A Sack-o-Crap. I don't care how he performs, I'm glad he's no longer a Chicago Bear...he was a disgrace to the uniform.
What a tool. Drafting Cedric Benson set our franchise back at least three years.
Cedric, have fun with the Bungles. Rest assured that NO ONE in Chicago misses you.
LOL!
Hm... this is a tough one
Matt Forte - humble, incredible work ethic, amazingly well-rounded player who can catch with the best of them, pick up the blitz block, work the screen, has enough speed to get around the edge.
Vs.
Cedric Benson - arrogant, slow, no work ethic, one-dimensional power runner, sucks at blocking, can't catch a screen to save his life, can't get around the edge, and is a horrible pass catcher out of the backfield.
Yeah. The Bears sure made a mistake there.
Perfectly said, Gavin! You can have him Cincy!
Cedric Benson is a beast! He's the best on the Bengals, and probably a top ten RB in the NFL. Just ask him. ;)
I can't wait to see him, and Tank Johnson, Chris Henry and OchoStinko on HBO's Hard Knocks show about Bengals Training Camp.
Another over rated player that will have a mediocre career when it's all said and done. Benson picked in college and will never get to that status again. But he will keep signing million dollar contracts because he has the "potential" factor. Pfft, good thing Chicago got rid of him and were smart enough to get Forte. Now that is a true running back, has class, respect for the game, and is good.
Don't you have a boat to go drive drunk on the Ohio river or something Cedric? Shut your pie hole no one misses you. And wehn you leave cincy they will not miss you either. You sat out the biggest game of your life becuse you hand a stinger in your knee. What a puss wouldn't even go back into the super bowl game. I hope you lose both your knees this year and are never able to walkt straight again you piece of crap. Go Away and shut your mouth.
There were a few points we missed here though I am feeling the love on this board. Not only did he leave a preseason game but did not show up to training camp because he would not accept his contract. We have not had a problem with any signings since so You Make the Call. And upon his first full camp he was greeted by a certain linebacker with extreme prejudice. I would not miss him even if my gun jammed.
Cedric who? Oh yeah, that guy... Whatever happened to him?
You see, in Chicago we have a guy named Matt Forte. 2x the player and 3x the man Cedric will ever be. In fact, Matt Forte's backup - Kevin Jones is twice the player Cedric could ever hope to be. Cedric, you're the walking definition of what a 'poser' is. Every Sunday is like Halloween isn't it? You get to dress up and play 'football player'.
Have fun in Cincy Cedric... a fraud in every respect.
Cedric who? Oh yeah, that guy... Whatever happened to him?
You see, in Chicago we have a guy named Matt Forte. 2x the player and 3x the man Cedric will ever be. In fact, Matt Forte's backup - Kevin Jones is twice the player Cedric could ever hope to be. Cedric, you're the walking definition of what a 'poser' is. Every Sunday is like Halloween isn't it? You get to dress up and play 'football player'.
Have fun in Cincy Cedric... a fraud in every respect.
There were a few points we missed here though I am feeling the love on this board. Not only did he leave a preseason game but did not show up to training camp because he would not accept his contract. We have not had a problem with any signings since so You Make the Call. And upon his first full camp he was greeted by a certain linebacker with extreme prejudice. I would not miss him even if my gun jammed.
Cedric who? Oh yeah, that guy... Whatever happened to him?
You see, in Chicago we have a guy named Matt Forte. 2x the player and 3x the man Cedric will ever be. In fact, Matt Forte's backup - Kevin Jones is twice the player Cedric could ever hope to be. Cedric, you're the walking definition of what a 'poser' is. Every Sunday is like Halloween isn't it? You get to dress up and play 'football player'.
Have fun in Cincy Cedric... a fraud in every respect.
There were a few points we missed here though I am feeling the love on this board. Not only did he leave a preseason game but did not show up to training camp because he would not accept his contract. We have not had a problem with any signings since so You Make the Call. And upon his first full camp he was greeted by a certain linebacker with extreme prejudice. I would not miss him even if my gun jammed.
Everyone is forgetting to mention since the time Benson was drafted and released.
Sure we went to the Super Bowl (I mean our Defense took the team to the Super Bowl).
Our offence sucked, our QB's sucked, our WR's sucked and our O- Line sucked. Let's not get all excited yet about Matt Forte he could be a one hit wonder. We finally have a QB but same crappy patch work of a line. Sure Benson was overrated and a problem but he sure as hell was not the answer at the time because he had nothing to work with. I think he will do very well in Cinncy (very well but not very good). The bears a a defensive team and allways will be!
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Aug 04, 2009
10:01 AM
Oh, did Biggs forget to mention the fact that Benson bailed from the sidelines without coaches' permission before the conclusion of a pre-season game in 06? And what about Benson leaving the SuperBowl, the biggest game of his life, with what seemed to be a relatively minor knee injury? Face the facts: Benson is a liability off the field with a history of poor professional behavior, problems and injuries--which will help him fit right in with the Bengals. I'll put the +/- at 8 games, if the Bengals are lucky.