http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...1,4499063.story For driving while drunk this time. He's outta here.
http://sportstwo.com/NFL/Story/NFL/2409962 Bears waive RB Benson Monday, June 9, 2008 05:34 PM LAKE FOREST, Illinois (Ticker) -- The Chicago Bears finally rid themselves of running back Cedric Benson, waiving the former first-round pick after he missed Monday's organized team activities. Facing a second alcohol-related legal charge in five weeks, Benson told the Chicago Tribune on Sunday in a phone interview that he intended to attend the OTAs. Benson provided no reason for Monday's absence. Bears general manager Jerry Angelo has expressed displeasure with Benson's off-the-field problems, and his no-show Monday apparently was the final straw. "Cedric displayed a pattern of behavior we will not tolerate," Angelo said Monday in a statement. "As I said this past weekend, you have to protect your job." In the latest incident, the former University of Texas star was stopped for a traffic violation in downtown Austin on Saturday morning and arrested after refusing a breathalyzer and blood test. Benson was taken to the Travis County Jail, where he was released after posting bond. Saturday's incident came just over month after Benson was arrested in Lake Travis - which is near Austin - on charges of boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest. Those cases - both class B misdemeanors - are pending. But the fourth-year running back has vehemently disputed those charges, claiming he was not drunk and did not resist - as was charged in the police report by officers from the Lower Colorado River Authority police during a random safety inspection. Benson has a court date in Texas on June 30. On Saturday, Benson was stopped after his BMW was seen going through a red light at 3:15 a.m. in Austin's entertainment district, according to Austin police spokesman Veneza Aguinaga. Once again, Benson is disputing the charges. His Austin-based attorney, Sam Bassett, told the Chicago Sun-Times that his client did not run a red light and was not drunk. However, after learning of the latest incident, Angelo expressed disappointment that Benson once again put himself in position to get into trouble. "Everyone in this organization is held accountable for their actions," Angelo said in the statement. "When individual priorities overshadow team goals, we suffer the consequences as a team. Those who fail to understand the importance of 'team' will not play for the Chicago Bears." The No. 4 overall pick by the Bears in the 2005 draft, Benson had a disappointing NFL career thus far, failing to reach 1,000 yards rushing in his three seasons in Chicago. He played in 35 games for the Bears, starting 12. In 2007, Benson's season was cut short by a broken leg, an injury which sidelined him for the final five games. Benson averaged a career low of 3.4 yards per carry last year, finishing the season with 674 yards and four touchdowns on 196 carries. While at Texas, Benson was arrested twice - on a misdemeanor trespassing charge in 2003 for entering an apartment to retrieve a television that he reported stolen, and on misdemeanor drug and alcohol charges in 2002 that eventually were dropped.
