Recently in Cedric Benson Category

It has reached the point where it's hard to believe the Jay Cutler saga will not be resolved until the quarterback receives a new contract.

From the Denver Broncos or from a team the Broncos trade him to because right now this storyline looks like it will be as everlasting as the Brett Favre mess a year ago.

Mike Klis of the Denver Post reports that Broncos owner Pat Bowlen has even come to terms with the fact that the Broncos could be moving forward without their quarterback, who reached a Pro Bowl after just his second full season starting in the league. This, after a face-to-face meeting at the team's headquarters in which no progress was made between Cutler and new head coach Josh McDaniels, who had hoped to acquire Matt Cassel in a trade last month.

"I'm very disappointed," Bowlen said Sunday. "I'm disappointed in the whole picture, not just disappointed that we might lose our star quarterback."

If it rains like this next week, the Bears will have no chance of practicing outside at Halas Hall for the minicamp. Before we get washed away here, or buried under a pile of safety and receiver questions, let's dive into the mailbag.

Q: Now that the first wave of free agency has passed and the Bears still haven't addressed their need for a starting free safety, do you think there's a chance they might still bring back Mike Brown? Brown seems to be the best option remaining given his knowledge of the defense, and I doubt Jerry Angelo will find someone in the draft that can contribute more, at least in the immediate future.

C. Washington, Kokomo, Ind.

A: This is just one of a handful of inquiries we've had about Brown recently. You're the lucky one to have yours selected.

No, I don't see any way the Bears have a change of heart and reach out to Brown. When they made the decision to move forward and not offer him a contract, that was a clean break. It's one Angelo nearly made a year ago. Yes, Brown had value when he was on the field last season but he's a strong safety and strictly a strong safety. Remember, the coaching staff made that switch to get him closer to the line of scrimmage midway through the season. Brown isn't the answer to their strong safety needs. The second half of the season was also when Brown had trouble finishing out games. You'll recall he couldn't finish three games and then was placed on inured reserve before the season finale at Houston. The Bears were in the playoff hunt. If they felt Brown could help them in the playoffs, he would have remained active. That tells you a little something about what was at least a four-week injury, right?

There was some more movement today in free agency with Laveranues Coles landing in Cincinnati and Matt Birk, the Pro Bowl center from Minnesota, heading to Baltimore, which was able to re-sign Ray Lewis. Let's get to the mailbag:

Q: It's never good to start a statement like this, but call me crazy. If USC's Rey Maualuga drops to Chicago at 18, would the Bears let that thought cross their minds? Would they consider him? Mock drafts have him going anywhere from fifth overall to the end of the first round. Does it make sense to draft the top-rated inside linebacker in the draft even though the Bears have Brian Urlacher? Would the Bears allow themselves to look into the future at that all-important-in-Chicago position, or do they just have too many needs to address? I keep hearing Jerry Angelo say that he's trying to put Chicago in position to draft the best player available, regardless of position. Does he mean any position except middle linebacker?

Sean Q., Eureka, Calif.

A: That's a good question and it's good for a couple of reasons. First, the position is pretty well stacked this season and general manager Jerry Angelo addressed just that at the combine saying as many as five linebackers could be selected in the first round.

"[You] won't see as good a group as this linebacker cast, as many as five and really quality,'' he said. "The linebackers should be real strong due to the fact that I thought potentially four could have come out last year and were thinking about it and they all four stayed in.''

Cedric Benson, freshly minted with a $7 million, two-year contract that will make him the starting running back for the Cincinnati Bengals, called himself ``fully rejuvenated'' Wednesday morning appearing on Waddle & Silvy on ESPN AM-1000.

Benson told hosts Tom Waddle and Marc Silverman that he is looking forward to facing the Bears in the regular season in 2009. He didn't have any regrets on his time with the Bears, which was cut short in June after his second drinking-related incident in Texas in a five-week span. Eventually, Benson was cleared of charges stemming from his boating and driving arrests but not before the Bears had pulled the plug on the fourth overall pick of the 2005 draft and not after the Bears had dropped $13.8 million on Benson.

Kevin Jones listed the Buffalo Bills as one of the teams interested in him on Saturday and that interest has materialized into a visit. Profootballtalk.com reports that Jones will visit the team at its Orchard Park, N.Y., headquarters on Wednesday.

The Bears have made a contract offer to Jones with hopes of bringing him back to share the workload with Matt Forte and Garrett Wolfe. The Bills could potentially offer a situation with more play time. Marshawn Lynch finds himself in legal trouble for the second consecutive offseason and Fred Jackson is the only other back in place. Buffalo had tried to lure Fred Taylor before he signed in New England.

We're just past 21 1/2 hours into free agency and while the action hasn't been as fast as it was a year ago for the Bears when they were hoping to pry Bernard Berrian out of Minnesota and then plotting to get Lance Briggs back at their price, it's been an interesting start.

It's clear the club has out the trenches at the top of the list for this offseason. Rod Marinelli has been brought in to rework the defensive line, and the first move in free agency was signing versatile offensive lineman Frank Omiyale to a four-year contract. Next on general manager Jerry Angelo's wish list appears to be veteran John St. Clair, who can also play four positions on the line.

One of the first signs here is that the Bears want to get bigger on the offensive line. While the natural first reaction was that Omiyale would step in immediately as the right tackle--the Bears don't have one on their roster--Angelo said the club will first look at him at guard, most likely left guard. Angelo isn't pigeon holing him there, and said he'll likely get looks elsewhere, but that's the first idea. Clearly, that means work remains to be done at tackle. St. Clair and a high draft pick could accomplish that. Getting another lineman on board would also aid Angelo in is quest to not be need-driven with the 18th pick in the draft.

A day after two grand juries in Austin, Texas, cleared former Bears' first-round draft pick Cedric Benson of all charges from his two alcohol-related arrests this spring, he released a statement through attorney David Cornwell:

"I appeared before two grand juries yesterday and finally got the chance to tell my side of the story," Benson said. "I am grateful that the grand jurors agreed that I did not commit any crimes.

"This ordeal is finally behind me, but I will use the experience to continue to grow as a person and as a professional football player."

The Bears didn't have anything to say regarding Cedric Benson's big win in court on Thursday.

They were relatively confident Benson would eventually be cleared of the charges from the first arrest--drunk boating and resisting arrest. He was adamant following the boating arrest that he had been wrongly accused and even roughed up by authorities. The club stood behind Benson during the middle of the offseason program and the plan was for him to battle with rookie Matt Forte in training camp for the starting job.

Judging by how Forte has performed through three games--he's fourth in the league in rushing--the competition would not have lasted long. Benson lacked the speed and explosiveness to excel, was a liability in the passing game and was never a fit in the locker room where Forte won over almost instant respect.

But as such a touted prospect three years ago, someone is likely to kick his tires. After all, the NFL is full of second-chance stories. Thursday's development allows Benson, who pocketed nearly $13.8 million from the Bears, to move forward with one less piece of baggage. One would have to imagine general manager Jerry Angelo and a few others at Halas Hall are quietly pulling for him.

Cedric Benson was cleared on all charges in Texas today stemming from his spring arrests.

Two grand juries in Travis County returned a no bill on each of Benson's cases meaning he will not go to trial for his May arrest on charges of drunken boating and resisting arrest or his June arrest when he was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.

INDIANAPOLIS--Nearly three months after the Bears showed the door to Cedric Benson following his second booze-related arrest in five weeks, the running back has sparked some interest. How serious the interest is remains to be seen.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that Benson has been there recently for a workout although no contract offer was extended to the No. 4 pick from the 2005 draft.

The Bears have already passed judgment on Cedric Benson, placing the running back on waivers Monday.

Benson's fate in with law enforcement officials in Austin, Texas, remains very much up in the air.

He's dealing with his boating arrest from May 3, when he was charged with drunk boating and resisting arrest, and then he was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving Saturday. That led to his release.

Benson's Austin, Texas-based attorney Sam Bassett says he has viewed a tape of the field sobriety tests Benson was given in the crowded downtown party district.

We interrupt this vacation to bring you the latest in the Cedric Benson situation.

Well, maybe not the latest. We’re simpy going to try to tie a bow on this one and be done with it as efficiently as we can.

While it’s been suggested at least in some places that Benson will count $3.5 million vs. the Bears’ salary cap this season, that’s not accurate. Benson will not be owed his base salary of $820,000, and the only thing left on his contract to figure is the $4 million signing bonus he received in 2005 and the $7.1 million option bonus the contract included.

Using those figures he will count $2.575 million against the cap this year and again in 2009. It actually represents a savings for this year and that’s hardly a burdensome figure in terms of dead money for ’09. This is all provided Benson, who was placed on waivers, is not claimed. If he’s claimed, there will be acceleration and the Bears will be looking at a different scenario. It’s doubtful anyone will claim the troubled former fourth overall pick.