"Instead of focusing on this week's possible end to the NFL lockout, the Bengals' concerns have multiplied with three arrests in eight days.

Not even during the period from 2005-07, when headlines focused more on off-field problems than wins and losses, has the franchise seen this.

The latest happened Sunday morning in Austin, Texas, where running back Cedric Benson was arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault. This came on the heels of safety Marvin White's arrest Thursday in Louisiana and cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones' arrest by Cincinnati police a week ago after an incident at Scene nightclub.

According to Enquirer records and the San Diego Union-Tribune's database involving arrests of NFL players, the Bengals have had 35 arrests since 2000, which is the most in the league.

Prior to last week's arrest of Jones, the Bengals had gone more than a year without an arrest.

Due to the lockout, the Bengals can't have any contact with players and can be updated only through news reports.

"The team is aware of the incidents," Bengals public relations director Jack Brennan said. "However, as with most situations of this nature, it would be inappropriate for the team to comment until the matters are resolved through normal legal channels."

Previously, the least amount of time in which there was a spate of off-field incidents involving Bengals was June 2006, when there were four arrests involving three players in 18 days.

Benson already had one legal matter unresolved in Austin, stemming from a dispute outside a bar during Memorial Day weekend last year. The latest, according to Benson's attorney, Sam Bassett, involves a conflict with a former male roommate. At the time of his booking in Travis County jail Sunday morning, records said it was for assault causing bodily injury to a family member.

Benson was released Sunday afternoon."