Bears release Benson

[flea]

If LT says they don't know WTF they're talking about thats good enough for me

[ChileBear]

Not really happy with this. Where do we go now? I think we HAVE to make a run at another RB now. AP is probably #1 on the depth chart now. Forte had better learn the playbook and get ready in a hurry. His time is coming up sooner than probably most of us expected.

 

Oh brother.

 

I just don't know how some of you guys can actually applaud and cheer this. It is very bad for our team. Clearly doesn't make us better. Makes us much softer.

 

Screw the off the field stuff. Just don't hurt anyone. Sit down a couple of games and get back to work. I don't know how this helps us.

In one way it removes an underachieving complainer that would hae been a distraction throughoout his tenure. I'd say it's a necessary move. Bad for the team? Wasting a #4 pick on him and paying him for the remainder of the contract was bad. JA screwed the pooch all the way around with Benson. And Forte better be ready to go.

[madlithuanian]

Point well made.

 

We know we're dealing in dollars and cents here, but their are other hidden costs with having character problems on your club.

 

I see what you are saying here, but disagree solely on team chemistry. Benson has been an assbag of a teammate and a football player. From the day he came has offered no accountability for his actions. I would rather have a guy with less talent come in and bust his ass to make the team, knowing that when this got into the game he was going to make the best of his opportunity. Cutting Benson ends it at all costs and sends the team a message. We want people who want to play football for a living. Players need to be professionals on and off the field. Regardless, of a players sense of entitlement, it is they that owe the organization they play for. Yes, we'll take a hit and it sucks, but Lovie and JA know the locker room and what they want to drive for the franchise.

[akshaz]

In one way it removes an underachieving complainer that would hae been a distraction throughoout his tenure. I'd say it's a necessary move. Bad for the team? Wasting a #4 pick on him and paying him for the remainder of the contract was bad. JA screwed the pooch all the way around with Benson. And Forte better be ready to go.

 

 

Understood Chile. But, I think that our running game was at its best when the two RBs were at each others throats and competing for carries. They were both much hungrier than they are now. Honestly, I think that Benson's problems started when he was simply given the job. He got fat, lazy and stopped working.

 

Again, I just want to win. I'm not going to invite them over for dinner. I just want to . I don't think that this move helps us become a better football team. Yes, it makes us a nicer, more cop-friendly team with a better public persona. But, it hurts our running game; which was already bad to begin with. JA will have to bring in a RB with starting potential, or we're going to be in trouble. Not going to be an easy task.

 

Think about it guys. AP is probably our #1 RB now. The #2 guy probably doesn't know the playbook and has zero NFL experience. #3 is probably best as a 3rd down back.

 

If JA wants a bunch of nice guys, he needs to join the Boy Scouts. This is the NFL. Nice guys finish where we did last year. I'd take team full of mean, light running alcholics that can't wait to step on the field so they can knock your head off than a bunch of nice, charming, considerate guys who would rather be at church on Sundays than on the football field.

 

I just don't really care about the off-field stuff as long as you don't hurt anyone (then all bets are off). I didn't care about Tank owning guns. I don't care about Benson being out at 3am. When it comes to my Bears, I only care about winning. JA may not agree. But, both of those guys will make us a better football team than we are now.

[madlithuanian]

I like hard partying guys, choir boys, low keys guys...whatever...as long as they perform on the field and do not get in trouble with the law. I'm not looking for BOy Scouts, but nor am I looking for thugs and morons. Butkus kicked butt and never had any off-season issues. You wanna call him a choir boy? Singletary kicked butt and WAS a choirboy. Any problem with that?

 

The bottom line is that Tank and Benson were booted for basically being stupid. Stupid people bring the whole team down. You want to be in a foxhole with moron if you're in the military? While not quite the same, it still is a team concept.

 

Tank didn't really wow me last year with Dallas, and I don't think I'm going to go too far out on a limb and say Benson will wow me with whatever fool team he lands on.

 

I think we are a bertter team without those guys. Tank opened space up for other players. Benson will open space up for someone else as well...or at least enable to more guys we currently have.

 

WInning is everything...but I think bad distractions like Tank and Benson prevent you from winning. While they do have some football skill...skill alone isn't everything. Not to mention, there are other guys out there that have even more skill. (Alexander and Henry are both proven backs...for instance.) Far more proven than Benson.

 

 

 

Understood Chile. But, I think that our running game was at its best when the two RBs were at each others throats and competing for carries. They were both much hungrier than they are now. Honestly, I think that Benson's problems started when he was simply given the job. He got fat, lazy and stopped working.

 

Again, I just want to win. I'm not going to invite them over for dinner. I just want to . I don't think that this move helps us become a better football team. Yes, it makes us a nicer, more cop-friendly team with a better public persona. But, it hurts our running game; which was already bad to begin with. JA will have to bring in a RB with starting potential, or we're going to be in trouble. Not going to be an easy task.

 

Think about it guys. AP is probably our #1 RB now. The #2 guy probably doesn't know the playbook and has zero NFL experience. #3 is probably best as a 3rd down back.

 

If JA wants a bunch of nice guys, he needs to join the Boy Scouts. This is the NFL. Nice guys finish where we did last year. I'd take team full of mean, light running alcholics that can't wait to step on the field so they can knock your head off than a bunch of nice, charming, considerate guys who would rather be at church on Sundays than on the football field.

 

I just don't really care about the off-field stuff as long as you don't hurt anyone (then all bets are off). I didn't care about Tank owning guns. I don't care about Benson being out at 3am. When it comes to my Bears, I only care about winning. JA may not agree. But, both of those guys will make us a better football team than we are now.

[akshaz]

I like hard partying guys, choir boys, low keys guys...whatever...as long as they perform on the field and do not get in trouble with the law. I'm not looking for BOy Scouts, but nor am I looking for thugs and morons. Butkus kicked butt and never had any off-season issues. You wanna call him a choir boy? Singletary kicked butt and WAS a choirboy. Any problem with that?

 

The bottom line is that Tank and Benson were booted for basically being stupid. Stupid people bring the whole team down. You want to be in a foxhole with moron if you're in the military? While not quite the same, it still is a team concept.

 

Tank didn't really wow me last year with Dallas, and I don't think I'm going to go too far out on a limb and say Benson will wow me with whatever fool team he lands on.

 

I think we are a bertter team without those guys. Tank opened space up for other players. Benson will open space up for someone else as well...or at least enable to more guys we currently have.

 

WInning is everything...but I think bad distractions like Tank and Benson prevent you from winning. While they do have some football skill...skill alone isn't everything. Not to mention, there are other guys out there that have even more skill. (Alexander and Henry are both proven backs...for instance.) Far more proven than Benson.

 

Butkus? You gotta be kidding me right? Man, I'd bet that dude was out drunk PLENTY of nights in the off-season. The cops just weren't going to lock him up. Different times now.

 

Both of those did stupid things off the field during the off-season. However, they were productive on the field. That's all that counts for me.

 

Not sure how you can definitively say we are now a better team than last week. We haven't secured his replacement. If we get Alexander, that would settle my nerves. But, what if we don't get him? Henry? Honestly tell me that you would have traded Benson for Henry this time last week? Not sure that any of you guys would say that. I don't think even the most adament Benson haters would argued for that move.

[madlithuanian]

You just made my point! Butkus partoied his butt off...and didn't get into trouble! And yes, it is different times. But that's also something Benson needs to account for. We live in a fishbowl and all eyes are upon him. Especially after what just happened weeks ago!

 

I can say we're better because I think Benson is not good. I never said definitively... But I do think we are better without him. If you've ever played at any level, bad character guys soil a locker room. Especially bad character guys that don't perform on the field. We're not talking about Tomlinson getting a DUI here. He looked nice in camp in shorts...but it's different in pads,etc. The guy has not shown me anything on the field that makes me think he'll be exceptional or even decent. He's completely unreliable regarding injury issues alone. The dude hasn't made it through one season without some kind of major problem. I can't rely on that. I want better. We placed our bet with Forte instead of going after someone like Michael Turner. So be it. Le'ts see what he's got.

 

For the record, I would have traded Benson for a pack of bubblegum last week. At least we now all be chewing gum. Ask nfo, I've been pining for ridding ourselves of that cancer for quite a while... I was ready to eat my crow if he would have done something positive for the team, but it looks like no fowl in my diet regarding Benson. I personally would have preferred we traded him before the draft for a 4th rounder and then drafted Mendenhall...but that's another story...

 

I follow where you are...but I think you're basing too much on potential rather than history. At least with Forte, there's still potential. Legit potential. And hope.

 

Butkus? You gotta be kidding me right? Man, I'd bet that dude was out drunk PLENTY of nights in the off-season. The cops just weren't going to lock him up. Different times now.

 

Both of those did stupid things off the field during the off-season. However, they were productive on the field. That's all that counts for me.

 

Not sure how you can definitively say we are now a better team than last week. We haven't secured his replacement. If we get Alexander, that would settle my nerves. But, what if we don't get him? Henry? Honestly tell me that you would have traded Benson for Henry this time last week? Not sure that any of you guys would say that. I don't think even the most adament Benson haters would argued for that move.

[chwtom]

In Benson's case, we still have 2 years at 2.55 million to amortize. Against this year's cap, we will save his $810k salary for a net dead cap hit of roughly $1.7 million and a dead cap hit of $2.55 million next year.

 

Are you sure this is correct LT? I believe your numbers for next year are correct, but this year he should count $2.5M against the cap, if my interpretation is correct, not $1.7M. I think the 800k should be subtracted from his total cap number for this year (3.3) and not his prorated SB (2.5).

 

My understanding is as follows: If the Bears kept Benson he would count roughly $3.3M against the cap this year ($2.5M SB plus $800k salary) and $3.5 next year ($2.5SB and $1M salary).

 

By cutting him, they don't have to pay his salary this year or next, and they don't have to account for it in the salary cap. They still,however, have to account for his signing bonus in the cap.

 

So this year his cap number is reduced from $3.3M to $2.5M, and next year it is reduced from $3.5M to $2.5M. So by cutting him, they save $800k in cap room this year and $1M next year. He will count $2.5M against the cap both years, but they DO save cap room by cutting him. They also save payroll dollars, since they don't have to pay him his salary, and they don't have to potentially pay him any incenstives if he rushes for over 700 yards.

 

Of note, if they had cut him prior to June 1st they could have taken the whole cap hit ($5M) this year, and had him off the books next year.

[BearSox]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_...i?urn=nfl,87187

 

well, it looks like the Bears D was really trying to hurt Benson and it wasn't just rumors...