Benson: Bears made mistake releasing him

[SportsWorld]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football ... 04.article

Running back Cedric Benson will face his former team in Week 7 when the Bears head to Cincinnati. Benson is locked in as the Bengals' starting running back after signing a $7 million, two-year contract in the offseason. Cincinnati signed him off the discard pile in Week 5 last year after injuries ravaged its backfield, and the former No. 4 overall pick was thrown into the mix immediately.

He finished with career highs in carries (214) and yards (747) in two-thirds of the season and without the benefit of much of a passing game as Carson Palmer was injured.

Benson cemented his future in the Queen City by rushing for 355 yards on 84 attempts in the final three games. Granted, two of those contests were against the 28th-ranked run defense (Cleveland) and the 30th-ranked run defense (Kansas City).

"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."

[Cliff Levingston]

Yea, it sucks having a much better running back than you, Cedric. How bout just keeping your mouth shut and playing football?

[Posey H8er]

3.4 YPC

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The real story Cedric.

[Chi Dynasty12]

Who is Cedric Benson?

[MissileMike]

Thought I would bump this... 5 games in and Benson looks nothing like he did on the Bears. He's running hard and breaking tackles...and he just became the first back in ages to run for more than 100 yards vs the Ravens. What happened?!

[Kyben36]

He never could breat the line of scrimage here, he is running for his carear right now, if he cant do it now, he will be out of a job. HE never ran with the intensity he does now with us. Never had the modivation.

[DanTown8587]

All reports indicated the summer the Bears released Cedric, he was already turning the corner, had rededicated himself, knew it was a blessing to be in the NFL, etc and was working on his game like never before. Now, you could argue that it worked out the best for both sides, except for the Bears they had to use a #1 and #2 to get their RB of the future when the #2 could have been spent on a WR like DeSean Jackson. Oh well, Bears have a good RB in Forte, lets just leave it at that.

[NoSkyy]

All reports indicated the summer the Bears released Cedric, he was already turning the corner, had rededicated himself, knew it was a blessing to be in the NFL, etc and was working on his game like never before.

now, I argue that is simply not true. When we released him, no one picked him up. Not a single team even sniffed him. This is including what? The Seahawks, Cardinals, etc tons of teams. No one even sniffed him.

It was what six months until he signed with Cincinnati? If he was really working hard etc, he would have been signed. He gets to Cin and then starts working hard THIS year. Last year we didnt see this.

[Art Vandelay]

Good player now. Too bad he wasn't when he was here. They gave him plenty of chances-- only one he really needs to be mad at about the situation with the Bears is himself.

[CjayC]

Oh well. Its a shame he didn't feel like running in Chicago.

His fight or flight mechanism is taking place because he realizes that he's done(At least with getting a big contract) if he doesn't do well in Cincinnati.

Great that he wants to turn it around in Cincy, but it would have never worked out here. He expected the red carpet treatment when Thomas Jones was a very well respected member of the team. Was not used to being bumped around in practice. Was out of of shape. Hardly ever made an effort. Etc, etc...

I don't think anybody on the team liked this guy. He acted like he was entitled something just because of his draft status. Good riddance.