NFL Rumors: Bengals Hoping To Re-sign Cedric Benson?

Bengals.com’s Geoff Hobson reports that Cincinnati Bengals would “dearly love” to re-sign Cedric Benson this offseason. New offensive coordinator Jay Gruden has already mentioned that the team will look employ a run-first offense so keeping Benson would make sense from that standpoint.

Hobson specifically mentions that both Johnathan Joseph and Cedric Benson will be sitting atop Cincinnati’s offseason priority list.

If the Bengals are not able to keep either of these players, their roster will look completely different come next season because both Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco could also be gone.

As for Benson, we have listed as the No. 45 best available free agent in out Top 50 Free Agent list. You could make the case that he belongs higher than #45 but when you consider the position he plays as well as his age, 28, and his limited success, you’re getting a player that’s going to be on the downswing of his career that happens to be playing a skill position. If the Bengals give him a sizable contract it will be out of fear rather than necessity. Cincinnati is in a tough position because they need a solid running back but paying Benson a large salary is a risky investment to say the least.