Lake Forest, Ill. ? The Chicago Bears thought Cedric Benson would be their next great running back. He’ll instead go down as one of their biggest disappointments.

The Bears waived Benson on Monday after his second alcohol-related arrest in a month, ending a rocky three-season tenure in which he failed to live up to expectations after starring at Texas.

“Cedric displayed a pattern of behavior we will not tolerate,” general manager Jerry Angelo said in a statement. “As I said this past weekend, you have to protect your job. Everyone in this organization is held accountable for their actions.”

The troubled running back, who didn’t participate in organized team activities Monday after telling the Chicago Tribune he would, issued an apology through sports attorney David Cornwell while maintaining his innocence.

“I apologize for making the poor decision to drink and drive during the early morning of Saturday, June 7th,” Benson said in a statement. “Given the incident last month, it was a particularly bad decision. I have no excuse for this lack of judgment. Though I strongly believe that I am not guilty of any crime, I realize that the public and the Bears organization hold me to higher standard. Though my local attorneys will continue to work hard to prove my innocence, I confess to using poor judgment. Please accept my deepest apology.”

Chicago took Benson with the No. 4 overall pick in 2005.

The Bears had already made it clear they were losing patience with Benson when they drafted Tulane’s Matt Forte in the second round in April.

Benson’s rocky relationship with the Bears took a turn for the worse when he was arrested on a drunken driving charge in Austin, Texas, early Saturday after failing a field sobriety test. The former first-round pick was released on bond.

He was also arrested May 5 and charged with boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest on a lake near Austin. Both cases are pending.

With Benson gone, Forte has a big opportunity.

“I’m not going to sit here and doubt myself or my talent,” Forte said before Benson was waived. “I believe that I can come in and play.”