Bye Bye Benson

Well, it's official, the Bears have run out of patience with RB Cedric Benson. Despite the fact that he has been a bust on the field, the Bears continued to put up with him, and had him listed as their starter...until today. The Bears parted ways with the fourth year pro after he was arrested for drunken driving for the second time in five weeks this past weekend.
This is especially good news for Bears rookie RB Matt Forte, who could now inherit the starting role by default. Word is the Bears might also look to ex-MVP Shaun Alexander, or Lions castoff Kevin Jones, who is coming off knee surgery. LaMont Jordan is also seeking a trade, so that could be a possibility. My guess is that if the Bears stick with what they have, they will put the "other" Adrian Peterson as the starter on opening day. Peterson has looked OK in previous stints as the lead back, and could sufficiently hold down the fort until Forte is ready. The Bears offence will likely struggle anyway, as their issues run deeper than Benson. It should be interesting to see what happens with the Bears, as they try to climb back to NFC North supremacy now that Brett Favre is gone.
So, what does the future hold for Benson? As I said yesterday, I don't think many teams will touch him, but he does still have some potential left. If the league decides to suspend him, it could be mid-october before he is signed. It is likely that he could be an injury replacement for a playoff-contending team. But, don't discount teams like Buffalo who are looking for veteran backups. I think Benson has to realize that no team is going to sign him as an immediate starter, and he has to prove himself both on and off the field to regain his starting status.

-> Terrell Owens is being questioned for steroids after missing a random drug test a few weeks ago. Owens claims to have sorted the issue out with the NFL, and says it is no longer an issue. I guess we shall see.
-> Titans LB Ryan Fowler is another guy being investigated for steroids.
-> Browns C LeCharles Bentley could finally make his return to the field for the first time since 2005. Bentley tore his ACL in 2006, and tore his pectoral and suffered through a staph infection last year that forced him to have three different surgeries. The Browns don't seem to keen on getting Bentley back, but they have to realize the talent this guy once had. They are facing a similar situation with CB Gary Baxter, who is trying to return from two uber-serious knee injuries from a few years back.