I don't know if recently drafted Matt Forte was the answer for the Bears, but it appears he is at least Mr. Right Now.
Coming off of his second alcohol related arrest in the past month the Bears cut Cedric Benson after sending him home from OTAs earlier in the day.
For Benson I'd like to say this could be a wake up call, but I doubt it. Some other team will pick him up and give him a chance. Maybe he has to wait until the middle of the season for somebody to get hurt, but as long as the league continues to give more chances, why should he straighten up.
This move was a long time in the coming. After being drafted 4th and then being handed the starting job without having to actually earn it, Benson followed it up with a sub par 2007 campaign, though some blame falls elsewhere.
As I have said in the past Benson's attitude would catch up with him. He sports a hefty ego and sense of entitlement and add to that either an air of invincibility or he has horrible judgement.
It obviously weakens our running back corp, but I think we will be fine.
It remains to be seen who will get the most reps at the #1 spot, but likely it will become more of an open competition between Forte and Peterson and possibly Garrett Wolfe, but I don't see them handing him the reigns.