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Benson gets ready to run with Packers

By Tyler Dunne, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel –

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Running back Cedric Benson said Monday he’s in shape, in tune with the Green Bay Packers’ offensive philosophy and in position to have a fourth straight 1,000-yard rushing season.

Signed Sunday to a contract reported to be a one-year, minimum-wage deal, Benson spent the afternoon practice unable to take part in full-pad contact because of the NFL’s newly instituted two-day grace period.

But after a couple of hours listening to the calls in the huddle and then backing up and watching the play with running backs coach Alex Van Pelt, Benson told reporters he chose to sign with the Packers for a reason.

“I had a couple other situations that I could have took, nothing that over-exceeded the other,” Benson, 29, said. “But looking at the teams and the potential for me individual(ly), and also the impact I can have on the team and be successful, I figured this was the best place.”

If Benson were truly in tune with coach Mike McCarthy’s offense, he’d know that during the regular season last year the Packers ran the ball on a percentage basis less than all but seven teams. And that was despite being in the lead 78.5 percent of the time.

Nevertheless, Benson said he liked the one-back emphasis the Packers have taken — he played a lot of that in Cincinnati — and sees himself getting the carries he’ll need to crack 1,000 yards.

“I understand it’s not a run-first team and the run is not real heavy here, but there’s times where a back gets the ball 25 times,” he said. “And I’m sure if things are rolling, the run game is set to a standard that we’re hoping to achieve, it could be way more carries than that.

“(I’m) just staying positive and optimistic about it and I know when I get my opportunities, I’m going to make the best of it.”

Benson looked fit and said although he hadn’t been with a team since the end of last year he was preparing himself for a phone call. Why it came so late, he didn’t understand.

McCarthy said the fit was right with Benson even though the Packers had the option of signing free agent Ryan Grant, their second-leading rusher last year. It’s clear the Packers view Benson as a more explosive athlete with more left in his tank.

“Ryan Grant has been a very good player for us in the past,” McCarthy said. “There’s a lot of decisions that go into every player acquisition on our team. This isn’t just something that was thought of and done in the short term. There’s all different intangibles in acquiring a player.”

When describing what Benson could bring to the Packers, McCarthy said he is a power runner whose experience in a one-back set should help a change in emphasis.

“He’s been a very productive running back,” McCarthy said. “He’s played in a one-back system the last few years, and it’s clearly evident that we’ve evolved more to a one-back system to a starting point of the way we play.”

Benson said he has matured from the guy who was arrested four times, including twice for misdemeanor assault. The Packers have nothing invested in Benson, so if he were to have a problem before the start of the regular season they could cut him without taking a salary cap loss.

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