Monday, June 9, 2008

Ceddy B Seein Ya

Well... it took a combination of 2 OWIs/DWIs in a 5 week span, but the Bears finally released Cedric Benson. The majority of Bears fans have been calling for this move, even before the incident on the boat. I however, was glad they didn't cut Benson immediately after his first publicized run-in with the law. I am one of the few non-jokes still around, who realize the Bears' major weakness last year was the offensive line. Without an offensive line, nobody can run (or pass, for you Grossman haters) the ball. Not Adrian Peterson. Not LT. Not even Steve Oliver.

I was hoping that this would be the year that Benson finally shut up the critics. With an improved line, Benson could finally show his worth. Apparently he has. After being charged with an OWI not too long ago, you think that a 25 year-old man (who still claims innocence) would have enough sense to not put himself in another situation like that. Now we still don't know if Benson was legally drunk at the time of the arrest, or how he did on his sobriety tests (the video has yet to surface), but what we've heard is that the Bears told him at least to stop drinking for a little while. For whatever reason, he couldn't do that. People have been throwing around the idea that he has a drinking problem. I don't necessarily agree with that, but I don't know this cat at all, so there's only a few people that probably do know if he has a problem. Rather than classify Benson as an alcoholic, I'd rather just call him one stupid motherfucker.

Benson's legacy in Chicago certainly won't be a positive one with most people. I don't think that he was ad bad as people think. People cried over the fact that Benson was the franchise back and the Bears gave up the "great" Thomas Jones to make Benson happy. The thing about that when given the chance, Benson showed he was as good as Thomas Jones. Benson just never had the opportunity as the feature back (until 2007 with a joke of an offensive line). In 2005 Benson averaged 4.1 yards per carry while Jones averaged a slightly higher 4.3 YPC. In the Super Bowl season of 2006, Benson and Jones each averaged an identical 4.1 YPC. Now tell me, how is Thomas Jones so much better? Because he had the break away speed? No. Jones' longest run of the regular season (30 yds) was the same as Benson's longest run. Is it because he was the #1 RB when the veteran offensive line performed up to their capabilities before they instantly became ancient? Get the fuck out of here. Thomas Jones is a good back, but he didn't out perform anybody on the team. He simply did what he was supposed to do when given the opportunity to be a #1 RB. Benson almost got a chance last year, but like I said, nobody can run without anyone opening holes.

I truly believe that Benson would have shown what he is capable of as a #1 RB this year. He showed up to mini-camp lighter and in better shape than he ever had before. I think he realized that the Bears were serious about creating competition at the RB position this year, and Benson possibly felt threatened by the Matt Forte selection. Or maybe Benson was just sick of all the talk about how he's not living up to the #4 overall pick standard. Now it's too late. Benson can officially be labeled the "bust" that people have been calling him for years. I still think if he's somehow given another opportunity with a new team, that he can be a good RB. It's too bad for Benson that the "everybody deserves a 3rd or 4th chance" Cowboys are loaded with RBs and won't have any room for Benson to rejoin former teammate Tank Johnstoooooooooooooooooooooooooooon.

You've been calling for it. I've been hoping it wouldn't come. But Benson's days in Chicago are over with. While I wish it didn't happen, I can definitely say the Bears had no other choice but to get rid of him. Hopefully Goodell will suspend him for a long enough period where it wouldn't of mattered if the Bears kept him and he wouldn't have been able to contribute in 2008.