Report: Raiders showing interest in RB Benson

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This makes sense. Probably too much sense.The Raiders are showing interest in free agent running back Cedric Benson, according to ESPN. With health always an issue for Darren McFadden, who missed nine games last season with a Lis Franc injury to his right foot and has missed at least three games in each of his first four NFL seasons, and similar, albeit untested backups in Mike Goodson and Taiwan Jones, Benson would seemingly be the heir apparent to Michael Bush, who signed with Chicago."We dont have that big back, but weve got a couple of backs that are playing fullback for us that can be that guy," Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie said in a roundtable discussion with a handful of reporters to close out last week's minicamp. "We feel good about the versatility of Marcel (Reece), and all our fullbacks have the ability to run it. (Owen) Schmitt can run it, short yardage. We got some guys that can, Im kind of anxious to see them in preseason."But like I said, well continue to beat down the doors and see if we can bring guys in. We wont stop that until its time to play our Monday night game in September. Well continue. Nothing is on the horizon, though."The 5-feet-11, 227-pound Benson, coming off a 1,067-yard rushing season in Cincinnati, is a power back in the mold of Bush and would be the thunder to McFadden's lightning, ala Bush.Benson, 29, has rushed for 5,769 yards in his seven-year career, averaging 3.8 yards per carry, with 31 rushing touchdowns, and has caught 106 passes for 736 yards and a score. Plus, having played since 2008 for the Bengals, he knows Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer.Yes, it makes sense. But it also might cost the Raiders too many dollars and cents.In that roundtable discussion McKenzie acknowledged his team's salary cap issues were a reason Oakland had not pursued any "big name" free agents this offseason. So unless Benson, the No. 4 overall pick of the 2005 draft, were to give the Raiders a significant discount -- the veteran minimum for seven- to nine-year vets for 2012 is 825,000 -- it's hard to see it happening in Oakland's current economic climate."Its very limited," McKenzie said of the Raiders' remaining cap at the time. "I dont know the exact number of where we are but we dont have a whole lot of cap space to kind of bring in a big name guy."Besides, doesn't Green Bay free agent Ryan Grant better fit McKenzie's mold?

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