Bengals RB Cedric Benson suspended for 3 games has 2 comments

Sep 22nd 2011, 23:46 | FFN-Score: 56 points

Bengals running back Cedric Benson will face a three-game suspension for player-conduct violations that happened during the lockout, Yahoo.com's Mike Silver reported Thursday afternoon.

It's the first instance of the league punishing a player for something that took place during the four-month lockout. Interestingly, Aqib Talib, Kenny Britt and Brandon Marshall all had legal entanglements during that time but avoided NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's wrath.

Benson, who was sentenced to 20 days in jail earlier this month for assaulting his former roommate on an Austin, Texas street this summer, will appeal the suspension next Tuesday.

Silver adds that "If the appeal does not result in a reduction or elimination of the suspension, Benson would miss Cincy's games vs. Buffalo, Jacksonville and Indianapolis," though he would be available for the Bengals' game this Sunday against the 49ers.

Through two weeks, Benson has 41 carries for 180 yards (4.4 average) and he's scored a touchdown. He's also been invaluable to rookie quarterback Andy Dalton, who will now have to rely on running backs Brian Leonard (2 rushes, 15 yards) and Bernard Scott (6 rushes, 13 yards) if Benson's suspension is upheld.

In other Bengals-related news, players Jerome Simpson and Anthony Collins were questioned by authorities earlier this week after another person at Simpson's home signed for a delivery package that contained a 2.5-pound bag of high-grade marijuana from California.