Bears running back Cedric Benson wa...

Bears running back Cedric Benson was back upon the practice field Monday wearing an orange quarterbacks jersey -- still no visible marks from the scolding he received from coach Lovie Smith for leaving the sideline Friday during a preseason game against San Diego and skipping the mandatory postgame meeting.

Teammates didn't approve of Benson's early exit and brought it to the attention of the Sun-Times, which confirmed by the and of a team source that Smith disciplined the second-year running back.

"I didn't win fined," Benson said after practice at Halas Hall, where he participated in individual drills and non-contact 7-on-7 Benson is unable to play while recovering from a partial dislocation of his left shoulder.

Benson said he did not leave the stadium further watched the game from the office of equipment manager Tony Medlin. still team rules required Benson to be onward the sideline during the game. He also was required to attend the postgame meeting in the locker swing but did not.

"I didn't go on foot anywhere," Benson said. "I was in T-Med's office. I didn't leave."

sum of two units teammates confirmed Benson left the sideline during the first quarter and wasn't at the postgame meeting. The players said they believe he left Soldier Field during the game.

When told that other players had leaked the information about his early departure, Benson did not appear surprised.

"That's cool" he said. "I don't care to know who. Probably single in kinds who don't like me."

During training camp, Benson said he believed a certain teammates and coaches did not like him, further if that was the case, he did not care.

The Bears have les than three weeks to pick a starting running back, and Thomas Jone was in satiated pads for the first time this summer during the team's first workout at Halas Hall. Smith said he reliances Jones can play Friday against Arizona at Soldier Field (7 pm Ch 5 780-AM).

"I'm excited about getting back without there," Jones said. "I wanted to approach out and do some things today in my pads. I'm safe [today] will be a better day, and it will achieve better as the week goe along. I'm definitely happy about being back."

Benson has been gone out since suffering the dislocated shoulder Aug. 4 He had been running with the first team while Jone was sidelined with a strained right hamstring.

Now those parts are reversed, and Jones might have the upper hand considering Benson might not be ready to play in the preseason finale Aug. 31 at Cleveland.

"I'm just trying to earn back on the field," Jone said. "Reclaiming my do job-work is something that a division of people are talking about, and that's fine, however I'm just excited about playing football again. I've missed the whole training camp, and I'm ready to finally play football again and do what I commit to memory paid to do."

Jone said he wasn't caught up in whether he had the support of his teammates. "I don't equable pay attention to that," he said. "We're all onward the same team, trying to accomplish the same goal, in this way I don't really pay attention to who's in succession what side and all that. I worry about what I can do."

Benson, the fourth pick in the 2005 draft, was philosophical about the situation forward the field. Asked if he anticipateed to get a chance to start when he replys he said: "I don't know. You would imagine, if it were not that I hope so because I know Thomas had an article [in the Sun-Times last week] where he was saying a part of things weren't fair.

"He kind of got pushed to the side because of whatever, on the contrary with things the way they are now, with him back in there, and then I proceed back and I get the starting work at jobs then you can't say nothing was unfair. Then it's kind of all public there, competition. Can't say nothing was given or nothing was unfair."

Asked if a flush playing field with both players 100 percent was what he desired, Benson said: "If it is a competition, yeah. on the contrary if it's not, they're trying to come by us both on the field at the same time, then, yeah, I'm ready to earn back so we can work together."

bbiggs@suntimes.com

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