Packers' reported signing of Cedric Benson would be a head-scratcher

The surprise report out of Green Bay has still yet to be made official, but by all accounts free-agent RB Cedric Benson will be a Packer soon, if he’s not already.

ESPN’s Chris Mortenson first reported on Friday afternoon that Benson was in Green Bay and likely to sign a contract, though the team has yet to announce an agreement.

Such a deal would be head-scratching for several reasons, from concerns about Benson’s age and the workload to questions about how he fits into the Packers’ offensive system.

The facts: Benson is 29 years old and has 1,529 career carries. He’s gone over 1,000 yards rushing in each of the last three seasons but has done so on (from 2009) 301, 321 273 carries. He’s fumbled 12 times over the past two years, the NFL high over that period of time. Since joining the Bengals in 2008, he missed a total of eight games, an average of two per season. He’s been arrested four times. He was out of work until Friday.

So, Benson (5-foot-11, 227 pounds) is an older running back with a lot of wear but not too much tear on his tires. He’s unquestionably a talented runner who could get the tough, inside yards -- especially in late, grind-it-out situations to close out games -- the Packers have struggled to capture the past couple of seasons. He’s also considered a solid pass-blocker, a prerequisite for any Green Bay running back. According to Pro Football Focus, Benson allowed just one sack, one quarterback hit and two hurries in 74 pass-blocking snaps in 2011. He’s a mediocre receiver, however, and most league experts have him pegged at this point in his career as, at most, a two-down back.

Then there’s the issue of how he fits into Green Bay’s system. Benson’s played his career in two run-first systems, first in Chicago then in Cincinnati. The Packers’ West Coast, pass-happy offense does not seem to suit Benson’s running style, in which he gets stronger as the game goes on and needs a lot of carries to be productive (witness his 3.7-yard average the past two years). To be sure, no Green Bay running back is going to receive the kind of touches Benson would seem to require. Further, Benson doesn’t know the playbook and would be coming in fairly late to try and master the offense by the start of the regular season.

Another reason this would seem to be a confusing move is there’s a running back available who does know the Packers system, is very well-liked in the Green Bay locker room, has not had any trouble with the law, and actually looked vigorous and spry at the end of last season. Veteran Ryan Grant, also 29, who played carried 134 times for 559 yards for the Packers last season, remains unsigned and why he was overlooked in favor of Benson is anyone’s guess.

After a poor performance by presumptive starter James Starks in the preseason opener at San Diego -- in which he had a drop, a fumble and five unremarkable carries -- the Packers clearly feel they need to upgrade at running back. Or perhaps just create some competition. If the signing of Benson is meant to be a kick-in-the-pants wakeup call for Starks, it makes a little more sense. Perhaps, too, promising second-year man Alex Green, who tore his ACL last October, hasn’t progressed in his recovery as well as the Packers hoped. There’s no denying Benson adds a veteran presence to a very young position – after Starks, there are only 21 NFL carries among the rest of the running backs.

An aging, well-tread runner with a fumbling problem and a history of legal trouble wouldn’t seem to be the sort of player general manager Ted Thompson would target. Especially when a fresher, more reliable and admired player with whom the Packers are intimately familiar remains available. But Packers fans have learned to trust Thompson, and if Benson is given a nonguaranteed contract that would allow the team to freely cut him at the end of camp if he’s unimpressive, then it’s a more reasonable move.

For more news and notes on the Packers, follow James Carlton on Twitter @CBSSportsNFLGB.