THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

CINCINNATI -- Running back Cedric Benson signed Tuesday with the Cincinnati Bengals, who needed another runner and were undeterred by two alcohol-related arrests in Texas that prompted the Chicago Bears to let him go.

Benson will take the spot of running back DeDe Dorsey, who was placed on injured reserve Tuesday after hurting his hamstring in a 20-12 loss to Cleveland. Chris Perry is Cincinnati's starting running back.

Benson was Chicago's first-round pick in the 2005 draft out of Texas. He started 12 games for the Bears from 2005-07, running for 1,593 yards and 10 touchdowns.

He missed five games with an ankle injury last season, but had a career-high 674 yards. Benson was arrested in May on charges of boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest, and again in June on a drunken driving charge in Austin, Texas.

Two grand juries in Travis County, Texas, declined to indict Benson on the charges last week, ending the cases.