Packers Cedric Benson: 2012 Player Evaluation and Report Card

1) Introduction:  Coming into the season, the Packers made it clear that they wanted to improve their running game in 2012. Cedric Benson was supposed to be the feature back, thus giving the Packers a more balanced offense. Prior to signing with the Packers, Benson had at least 1,000 rushing yards in three consecutive seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. Benson signed with the Packers Aug. 21 and served as the starter until he suffered an injury in week five.

2) Profile:

Cedric Myron Benson

  • Age: 30
  • Born: 12/28/1982, in Midland, TX
  • Height: 5’11”
  • Weight: 228
  • College: Texas
  • Rookie Year: 2005
  • NFL Experience: 8 years

 Career stats and more:

3) Expectations coming into the season:  Some had high hopes for Benson in 2012. Having eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards in three straight seasons, the Packers hoped for a similar result. Once Benson arrived in town in the summer, there was no question as to who the starting running back was—it was Benson. But with perhaps the league’s best quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, Benson was never expected to be the focal point of the Packers’ offense.

4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: Benson was effective at the beginning of the season; he scored the Packers’ only touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks in week three. But his best game of his season was Sept. 13 against the Chicago Bears in which he totaled 116 yards on 24 total touches. The low-point of Benson’s season was obviously week five when he suffered a season-ending injury.

5) Player’s contribution to the overall team success:  Benson played well in the five games he suited up for. Had he kept pace with his production for a full 16-game season, Benson would have had over 1,000 yards of total offense. The Lisfranc injury ended Benson’s season early, leaving the Packers shorthanded at the position.

6) Player’s contributions in the playoffs:  Benson didn’t play in the playoffs.

Season Report Card:

(C) Level of expectations met during the season

(D) Contributions to team’s overall success.

(F) Contributions to team during the playoffs

Overall Grade: D+

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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.

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4 thoughts on “Packers Cedric Benson: 2012 Player Evaluation and Report Card

  1. He was on pace for 1,000 yards. Sign him to a team friendly deal and put him through the paces to see if he still has it. Run him for September and if he breaks down, have lattimore on the pup.

    Benson had given a spark early on and if the medical staff believes he is healthy go for it.

    Draft a top shelve RB as well. Benson will give a month in the early season to allow the RB to get up to speed.

  2. See how he’s recovered. Might turn out to be the best running option again. Starks and Green certainly have shown that they are fragile and can’t be depended on.

    1. How has Green shown he’s fragile? He’s had ONE ACL injury and he’s already fragile? THat makes no sense at all… I’m about done w/ Starks but you can’t base Green on having One ACL injury!

  3. At this point, I’d CUT Starks, resign both Grant and Benson to team friendly contracts as well as make a late round pick for competition. Always possibility of street FA’s available but Green Bay needs QUALITY OVER QUANTITY and Green and Starks may not offer either for value.

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