Eight players are subject to being suspended under the NFL's personal-conduct policy for incidents during the lockout. However, the NFL Players Association said the union still can challenge any type of discipline that would come down from the league.
"We believe that no player should be subjected to discipline for incidents occurring during the lockout," NFLPA spokesman George Atallah told the Associated Press on Sunday. "The NFL and the NFLPA signed a side letter to the CBA that resolved and absolved the overwhelming majority of players of conduct-related issues. We retain all of our rights and ability to challenge any player discipline related to incidents occurring during the lockout."
A league source told NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora that eight players included in the side-letter list, signed Aug. 4 letter by the NFL and NFLPA, include Tennessee's Kenny Britt, Tampa Bay's Aqib Talib, Cincinnati's Cedric Benson and Adam "Pacman" Jones, New England's Albert Haynesworth, Arizona's Clark Haggans, and Brandon Underwood and Johnny Jolly, both formerly of Green Bay.
Benson is appealing any discipline and has a hearing scheduled for this week. Earlier this month, Benson spent five days in a Texas jail mopping floors, completing his sentence for misdemeanor assault.
The Bengals running back also is pursuing action against the NFLPA, charging the organization didn't properly represent his rights in the side-letter agreement, the league source told La Canfora.
"You would think they're here to support you and have your back, that's what a union does," Benson told The Cincinnati Enquirer. "I guess in my case it's different."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.