Cedric Benson Headed to Jail, Cincinnati Bengals Should Cut Ties with Moronic RB

The Cincinnati Bengals have once again found themselves with a player in trouble with the law as running back Cedric Benson has been sentenced to jail time.

Benson may not miss any games, but the Bengals really shouldn't waste their time with the much-maligned running back at this stage in his career.

Unfortunately for the 28-year-old former fourth overall draft pick, this is not the first time that he has been in trouble. Benson was arrested twice before being released by the Chicago Bears in 2008 despite never being charged with anything.

He found his way to the Cincinnati Bengals and managed to keep his nose clean for the 2009 calender year before being arrested once again for allegedly punching a bartender in 2010. He was not suspended and played in 13 games for the team last year.

The fourth arrest of Benson's six-year NFL career finally landed him in prison after he pleaded no contest to charges of assault to a family member.

The Bengals are not an organization that has a problem with keeping players with troubled characters or attitudes off the field as they have proven with Benson as well as a guy like Adam Jones who is still on the roster.

However, is Benson really worth the trouble anymore?

The Bengals are entering a transition period with their offense as they look to get Andy Dalton and A.J. Green incorporated into their offense. Benson is not going to be a part of the team when the Bengals are once again in a position to compete in the AFC North.

It will take at least two to three seasons for Andy Dalton to establish himself as a viable NFL starter and even if he does, the defense still needs a lot of work.

Benson is probably past his prime considering the position he plays.

The running back position in the NFL is unique in that it is easy to find a capable performer. For example, the Detroit Lions last week picked up Jerome Harrison as a free agent. Harrison hasn't started in over a year but when he last did, he set a single-game franchise rushing yard record for the Cleveland Browns with the third-highest total in a game ever.

As the saying goes, running backs are a dime a dozen and Benson isn't talented enough to justify the baggage that he brings to the team. It's not like this is a first offense. Had he been putting up Adrian Peterson or Chris Johnson numbers you would understand the Bengals' reluctance to let him go—but he hasn't.

Benson has cracked 1,000 yards in the past two seasons but he did so with relatively average yards per carry. His 4.2 in 2009 fell to a 3.5 last season when he had 320 attempts.

Those numbers would be fine—in fact, his durability would be impressive—but he is limited in other facets of the game. He offers very little in the way of receiving and isn't what you would consider to be a dynamic runner with the ball in his hands.

He is a simple grafter that looks to run over defenders whenever he gets the ball. He is nowhere near the elite level of running backs in the league and the fact that he had seven fumbles last season makes you question just how far he falls in those rankings.

A strong running game will be important for Andy Dalton to ease him into the NFL but there are other options rather than Benson. Even without adding anyone to the roster, Bernard Scott and Brian Leonard could more than be a sufficient tandem in the Bengals backfield.

Benson may not be a particularly problematic teammate but if the Bengals really want to re-establish themselves as legitimate threats in the AFC, they need to change the attitude surrounding the franchise.

Ridding themselves of Cedric Benson would be a good move in that direction.