Packers News: Team Close to Signing Cedric Benson

ALLGBP.com All Green Bay Packers All the Time
RB Cedric Benson
RB Cedric Benson

Several reports suggest that Cedric Benson is close to signing with the Packers.

Benson will be entering his eight season in the NFL. After a disappointing first three seasons in Chicago, Benson joined the Cincinnati Bengals and eclipsed 1,000 yards in three of four seasons.

After a disappointing performance from James Starks in the team’s preseason opener, along with the injury history of Starks and Alex Green, the Packers felt the need to add a veteran at the position–and it appears Benson is the guy.

Benson certainly hasn’t lived up to the bill as the fourth overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, but he has been a productive, steady player in recent years.

By no means is Benson’s spot on the team guaranteed. He’ll certainly have to earn a spot on the roster, and it’s unlikely that the Packers would keep more than three running backs on the team, given the fact that John Kuhn is capable of carrying the ball.

Benson is the second veteran player Ted Thompson has added in the past few days. Who is this man posing as the Packers GM, and what has he done with Thompson?

——————

Follow @MJEversoll

Marques is a Journalism student, serving as the Sports Editor of UW-Green Bay\'s campus newspaper The Fourth Estate and a Packers writer at Jersey Al\'s AllGBP.com. Follow Marques on Twitter @MJEversoll.

——————

15 thoughts on “Packers News: Team Close to Signing Cedric Benson

  1. Hmm…. I think he’s an improvement over Starks and perhaps he’ll have a little extra something for the Bear games. But is he better than Grant? I think he & Grant are the same age. Maybe he’s cheaper.

  2. It’s a move on Ted’s part. While Benson hasn’t been #1 material, I do go by his age, he turns 30 this year. Which means that if you go by running back standards, 32 is when they begin to severely go downhill.

    30 is when they begin to break down. So it’s not like we are getting Benson at the end of his rope, but beginning.

    I think it also signals that Ted feels a twinge of something in the RB he doesn’t like. Grant while no longer on the team, was one of those people you could call a “starter” on any NFL team.

    Starks, Green, and Saine don’t have that type of label and Benson does have some of that “Starter” label. It makes sense with the injuries and progress of the RB’s.

    I welcome a former Bear to the Packer Family as I think he can provide something for a anemic run game and while I wish the Bears luck this season with their season… I would like to see their faces if their former 1st round pick helps the Pack to another title.

  3. Seems like a good move to me.

    – Benson has something to prove.
    – More depth = Less fatigue.
    – Challenge/Motivate other RBs.

  4. If the Packers actually sign Benson, it would mean one of the following in my estimation:

    They just want to light a fire under the asses of the RBs currently on the roster- in other words, the Packers smell complacency and want to eradicate it.

    The Packers have lost patience with James Starks and believe that Benson has the opportunity to push Starks out of the lineup completely.

    The Packers have found something in Alex Green’s knee that they believe will truncate his career or squash his talent.

    The reason I think Starks would be the RB who could be possibly pushed out for performance reasons (As opposed to Saine or Green) is simply that the Packers believe in cultivating talent, and have shown patience in such endeavors. Green hasn’t had the opportunity to even play yet, Saine looked good when called upon last season, and both Green and Saine are just entering their second season and in their first full offseason program. I would be surprised if the Packers felt they even really knew what they had with either of those kids.

    1. I think the key-phrase here is “Light a fire under the asses” this can be said about the Packers needing EVERYONE to be as competitive as possible for next year, as they know this type of championship window is short.

  5. I’m glad they signed Benson. Now its a must to sign one of the top FA LT available! This offense is average at best with out Newsome. Who knows when Sherrard will be back. He wasn’t very good last year, at LT, before he got hurt, and now he missed the whole off season. I’m sure he’ll be ok in the long run, but having Arod on the ground is not a good thing in the meantime. The bum the Pack had a LT last nite was a joke.cut him now!….if Newhouse goes down for a period of time, the only option the Pack has is shifting the line around, which is not good

  6. I am admittedly skeptical of this move. I’ve always seen Benson as someone who’s fallen short of his perceived value.

    We’ll see.

  7. Anyone think Starks brought this on last night. He looked very less than average, one hit and down he goes very bad performance. The Pack had their eye on Benson fo a few weeks and they pulled the trigger, he is not signed yet but by tomorrow maybe.

  8. I like this move. If Benson could somehow have another 1000 yd. season, with our woeful run-blocking line, he would be cheap at twice the price. The other Ds would be forced to defend the run making Rodgers more effective. No…I LOVE this move

  9. In fairness I think Thompson is and has always been willing to bring in veteran FA’s…if they are available at his price which I assume Benson is.

    Pure speculation but it might be that they feel that Starks is not 100% focussed now he feels he has the starters job-they’ve criticised his practice habits in the past..

    Will be interesting to see how it plays out -a focussed and performing Starks is ideal for the Packers-maybe not a home run threat but with an ability to make 3 yards into 5, 8 into 15 and surely a better reciever than he showed last year and so far in training camp…

  10. here’s a thought on our RB’s poor outing on thursday:

    What if Alex Van Pelt is a lousy RB coach??

  11. I am officially OFF the James Starks bandwagon.

    This kid has shown absolutely nothing other than the eagles playoff game.

    always hurt and no field vision, just let him go.

    I really wanted Robert Turbin from Utah State in this past draft, by all accounts he is having a really nice camp for the seabuzzards.

    I wish he was in GB.

    I do not believe there is a place for a 6’2″ RB in todays NFL except on the ground

Comments are closed.