Benson says he was blackballed

Cedric Benson believes the Chicago Bears did all they could to keep him from signing with another team.

Released in June 2008 after two alcohol-related arrests, Benson will face his former team when the Cincinnati Bengals host the Bears on Sunday. Although he insisted he’s not out for revenge and won’t try to send a message, Benson clearly has some bad feelings for the Bears.

“I heard all the rumors that were said coming out of Chicago,” Benson said. “Even the Bengals told me all the things, that they would call and inquire about me and get nothing but negative things. Just that I didn’t work hard, that I was I guess a prima donna or I didn’t work hard on the field, just wasn’t focused. Just anything negative that they could say, it was said. I’m sure that contributed largely to me not getting picked up right away.”

Bears coach Lovie Smith insisted, “He was not blackballed by anyone in our organization.”

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said Smith even gave a good review of the running back, although Benson said he was in the minority. He appreciated Smith’s endorsement but said most of the coaches did not support him.

BROWNS: Just when it couldn’t get any worse for Cleveland, along came the flu bug.

On Wednesday, 12 players, including Pro Bowl nose tackle Shaun Rogers and five other starters, missed practice with flulike symptoms as the team began installing the game plan for Sunday’s matchup against Green Bay.

Coach Eric Mangini scaled back the workout in hopes of keeping his healthy players from getting sick.

BEARS: It didn’t take long for Jay Cutler to figure out Chicago is where he wants to be and the Bears don’t want to let him go.

Acquired from Denver in a blockbuster offseason trade, the quarterback is now locked in through the 2013 season after signing a two-year contract extension late Tuesday. A relieved Cutler says he hopes to finish his career in Chicago and that he’s “done with this moving stuff.”

The extension calls for approximately $20 million guaranteed and roughly $30 million in new money, according to a person familiar with the discussions.

PACKERS: Green Bay signed running back Ahman Green, bringing back another veteran.

Faced with a need at the position after third-down back DeShawn Wynn hurt his knee, the Packers turned to Green, who has been out of football since being cut by Houston in February. He left the Packers as a free agent for the 2007 season but struggled with the Texans, gaining 554 yards in 14 games over two seasons.

CARDINALS: Wide receiver Anquan Boldin remained uncertain for Sunday night’s game against the New York Giants with a sprained ankle after sitting out the Cardinals’ practice.

The three-time Pro Bowl receiver sprained his right ankle in the second quarter of Arizona’s 27-3 victory at Seattle on Sunday.