NFL Wire Notes | Bears' Benson faces charges in Texas

AUSTIN, Texas — Running back Cedric Benson of the Chicago Bears was charged with failing a sobriety test while operating a 30-foot boat, and resisting arrest before being hit with pepper spray and dragged ashore by officers.

Benson, 25, faces charges of boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest after the incident Saturday night on Lake Travis, Travis County Sheriff's Department spokesman Roger Wade said Sunday.

Benson was released from jail early Sunday on a $14,500 bond. The charges are misdemeanors, each punishable by up to six months in jail and a $2,000 fine. A call to Benson's agent was not immediately returned.

According to officials, Benson was operating the boat with 15 passengers aboard when he was stopped by a Lower Colorado River Authority officer for a random safety inspection. He failed a field sobriety test on the officer's boat and was uncooperative when the officer tried to take him ashore, the authority said.

The officer used pepper spray to subdue Benson, who refused to leave the officer's boat and was dragged by authorities to a car to be taken to the Travis County jail, the authority said.

"I haven't had a chance to speak with Cedric yet, but anytime we're talking about one of our players getting arrested you're disappointed in it," Bears coach Lovie Smith said.

Notes

• The Carolina Panthers are counting on receivers D.J. Hackett, a former Seahawk, and Muhsin Muhammad, who was released by Chicago, to help take pressure off Steve Smith.

Smith, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, often faced double teams.

The 26-year-old Hackett, who has a two-year, $3.5 million contract with Carolina, said, "I don't know much about what was here before. I'm not going to comment on that. But from the looks of it now, it looks pretty good to me. We've got a lot of talent, and some age, but not too old. It looks good."

• Former USC standout Fred Davis, Washington's second-round draft choice last month, did not show up for minicamp practice — reportedly having overslept.

The team sent security officials to track down the tight end after he failed to arrive as scheduled from a local hotel where rookies were housed.

Davis eventually met with coach Jim Zorn, previously the Seahawks' quarterbacks coach. "Hopefully everybody will learn from the lesson that he is having to learn right now about what it is going to take to get to a place on time, to be responsible," Zorn said.

• Suspended cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones, who was traded from Tennessee to Dallas last month, is trying to sell his home — a 30-acre spread in a Nashville, Tenn., suburb — for $1.8 million.

Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Jones last year for repeatedly violating the league's personal-conduct rules. Jones has been arrested six times since being drafted in 2005.