The odds of Cedric Benson re-signing with the Bengals appear slim, but coach Marvin Lewis is holding out hope. "Ced can be discouraged but Ced is going to answer your question and not look in the mirror and realize that he's part of that. Unfortunately we all are," Lewis said. "Ced's passion and energy will make us a great football team again and I don't want to curtail that and you have to take the bad with the good. I opened up the season talking that it was going to be difficult for Ced with all the attention going to the receivers and that he was going to have to hang through this." Benson will be an unrestricted free agent this season. He has had back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons.