Kelvin Benjamin - Pro Football Rumors

NFC Notes: Panthers, Benjamin, Vikings

September 25th, 2017 at 12:09pm CST by Zachary Links

Panthers wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin gave fans a scare on Sunday when he re-injured his surgically repaired left knee. Fortunately, the early word on the ailment is positive and it appears he did not suffer a major injury, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. One source added that he is “fine.”

It sounds like Benjamin, who missed the 2015 season with a torn ACL, will not be out of action for long, if at all. That’s good news for Carolina, particularly since the injury bug already has them without center Ryan Kalil and tight end Greg Olsen.

Here’s more from the NFC:

The Vikings still don’t know whether they’ll have Sam Bradford in action on Sunday when they face Detroit, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes. “It’s day to day, and we’ll go from there,’’ coach Mike Zimmer said. The good news for the Vikings is that Case Keenum looked great against Tampa Bay this weekend, completing 25 of 33 passes for a career-high 369 yards and three touchdowns. He could get the call again in Week 4 if Bradford’s knee is not in good shape.
Should the Seahawks trade for offensive line help? That’s what one reader asked Brady Henderson of ESPN.com, but the beat writer says that’s harder than it sounds. First of all, the NFL has an overall shortage of quality offensive linemen, meaning that the Seahawks are far from the only team with needs up front. Yes, the Seahawks have made two trades for offensive linemen in the past five weeks, but Matt Tobin and Isaiah Battle are both backup types. To acquire a starter, they’d have to part with much more than a fifth or seventh round pick. The Seahawks’ best chance to boost the offensive line was in March or April. Now, the 1-2 Seahawks pretty much have to get by with what they have.

NFC Notes: Panthers, Redskins, Lions, Giants

May 1st, 2017 at 8:37pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Panthers wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin showed up to voluntary workouts overweight, which is concerning to head coach Ron Rivera (via Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer). Rivera did say that he has spoken with Benjamin and that the wideout is doing everything he has been asked to do to lose weight. Benjamin has battled weight problems throughout his collegiate and professional career, and Rivera believes Benjamin’s previous hamstring issues can be at least partially attributed to his poor conditioning and extra pounds.

More on Carolina and a few other NFC teams:

Redskins right tackle Morgan Moses‘ five-year extension contains a $40MM base value and a $42.5MM maximum worth, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. It also features $20MM in guarantees. Moses now has the third-richest deal among RTs, trailing only the Eagles’ Lane Johnson and the Lions’ Rick Wagner, and is second to Johnson in guaranteed money.
Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports that Lions GM Bob Quinn has been in contact with free agent wideout Anquan Boldin. Quinn said that the “door is open” should Boldin wish to return to Detroit. The 36-year-old does want to play next season, which would be his 15th in the NFL, but he’s unlikely to sign until training camp nears. Boldin took that approach last year, when he didn’t ink a deal with the Lions until July 30. He went on to haul in 67 passes and eight touchdowns, though he also posted a career-worst yards-per-catch average (8.7).
Giants GM Jerry Reese revealed Monday that he wants to add a veteran kicker (Twitter link via James Kratch of NJ.com). Considering the only kicker on the Giants’ roster is Aldrick Rosas, who has never played an NFL game, Reese’s desire to bolster the position isn’t surprising. Free agency isn’t exactly teeming with options, though, with Dan Carpenter and Zach Hocker representing the most experienced unsigned kickers.
The Panthers withdrew an offer to Washington State defensive tackle Robert Barber, an undrafted free agent, after learning that he’s facing a trial on second-degree felony assault charges, reports Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer. Barber accepted Carolina’s offer Saturday, but the team pulled it off the table Sunday.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Panthers Exercise Kelvin Benjamin’s Option

March 24th, 2017 at 11:00am CST by Zachary Links

Panthers GM Dave Gettleman announced that the team has picked up Kelvin Benjamin‘s fifth-year option for 2018 (Twitter link via Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer). The option is expected to be worth roughly $8MM.

Benjamin, now 26, was taken No. 28 overall by the Panthers in the 2014 draft. He got off to a great start by catching 73 passes for 1,008 yards with nine touchdowns in his rookie season. Unfortunately, a torn ACL suffered in August of 2015 cost him the entire season. He returned to last year and had 63 catches for 941 yards and seven scores. The Panthers’ decision to exercise his fifth-year option was pretty much a no-brainer.

The fifth-year option allows teams to retain first round picks for an additional season at their own discretion. Per the terms of the 2011 CBA, teams can trigger the option as early as January 2 in the year of the player’s fourth season. The deadline to make the call is May 3. The options are guaranteed for injury only.

For now, Benjamin is locked in for an additional season at a below-market rate. However, it’s a good bet that the two sides will discuss a long-term extension between now and when that fifth year kicks in.

Panthers Cut White, Boykin; Benjamin To IR

September 1st, 2015 at 12:03pm CST by Luke Adams

12:03pm: The Panthers have confirmed in a press release that they’ve cut Boykin and Lester, and that they’ve waived White with an injury designation. The club also announced the five other moves it has made to get its roster down to 75 players. Here are those transactions:

Placed on injured reserve:

WR Kelvin Benjamin

Waived:

DT Kenny Horsley
WR De’Andre Presley
DT Micanor Regis (waived with injury settlement)
T Davonte Wallace (waived/injured)

9:58am: The Panthers have yet to announce their final set of roster moves that will get the team down to 75 players, but a pair of notable Tuesday cuts have already been reported. Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer passes along a tweet from Melvin White, indicating the cornerback has been waived, while Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer reports (via Twitter) that wide receiver Jarrett Boykin has also been let go.

White, 25, has spent the last two years in Carolina after joining the team as an undrafted free agent out of Louisiana-Lafayette. He claimed a larger role than expected, starting 17 regular season games for the club and recording 89 tackles to go along with three interceptions over the past two seasons. With Charles Tillman penciled in as a starter this year, White had slipped down the depth chart at cornerback, and was the odd man out.

As for Boykin, his release is somewhat surprising, given the Panthers’ lack of wide receiving talent. Boykin, who totaled 49 of his 57 career receptions in 2013 with the Packers, may have become expendable when Carolina acquired wideout Kevin Norwood from the Seahawks in a trade on Monday. According to Jones, Boykin was cut early in the process to allow him to latch on with another team.

In addition to cutting White and Boykin, the Panthers also waived safety Robert Lester, tweets Person. Person’s role was reduced last season after he started four games for the club in his rookie campaign in 2013.

By my count, the Panthers’ latest moves leave them with 80 players on their roster, so the team will have to announce a few more transactions before 3:00pm central time today.

Kelvin Benjamin Has Torn ACL

August 19th, 2015 at 4:51pm CST by Luke Adams

4:51pm: The Panthers confirmed that Benjamin is done for the year, David Newton of ESPN.com tweets.

4:39pm: The worst-case scenario for the Panthers has come to fruition, as Kelvin Benjamin‘s MRI today revealed an ACL tear, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The club has yet to officially confirm the news, but the injury figures to sideline the young wideout for the entire 2015 season, a devastating blow for a team relying on Benjamin to be its No. 1 receiver.

As a rookie in 2004, Benjamin had 73 catches for 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns. This season, the Panthers were counting on that level of production and perhaps more as they looked to have a bounce back year on the whole.

The Panthers could look to the free agent market for outside help, but they have yet to contact the reps for Reggie Wayne, a league source tells Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter). Wayne, who spent 14 years in Indianapolis after being drafted by the Colts in the first round way back in 2001, is no longer the sort of impact player he was during his prime. However, he was still a reliable target for Andrew Luck last season, compiling 779 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 64 catches.

NFC Notes: Benjamin, Falcons, AP, RGIII

August 19th, 2015 at 2:33pm CST by Luke Adams

The Panthers are holding their collective breath as they await the results of an MRI on Kelvin Benjamin‘s left knee. The Panthers wideout went down with an apparent non-contact injury during today’s joint practice with the Dolphins, and while head coach Ron Rivera indicated that it’s a sprained knee, there’s a chance the injury is more serious than that. If Benjamin has to miss regular-season action, it’ll be bad news for a Carolina receiving corps that’s lacking legit playmakers outside of Benjamin. Jonathan Jones and Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer have the details.

As the Panthers and their fans wait on the results of that MRI, let’s round up a few more items from across the NFC….

A report yesterday suggested that free agent quarterback Rex Grossman was drawing interest from the Falcons, but D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says it’s the other way around, tweeting that Grossman is interested in the Falcons. According to Ledbetter, the team is happy with T.J. Yates and Sean Renfree behind Matt Ryan.
Within an extensive look at Adrian Peterson‘s unusual offseason, Eli Saslow of ESPN The Magazine says that the Vikings running back wants to play another eight season in the NFL, in the hopes of breaking Emmitt Smith’s career rushing record.
Washington would like to stick with Robert Griffin III as the team’s starting quarterback for the entire 2015 season in order to make a fully informed decision about his future, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). The club has already picked up RGIII’s fifth-year option for 2016, but that salary doesn’t become guaranteed until the first day of the ’16 league year, so Washington could still decide to move on from the young QB if this season doesn’t go well.
The Cardinals‘ signing of running back Chris Johnson is a potential coup, and a move straight from the Steve Keim playbook, writes Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic.
Lions safety James Ihedigbo, who had been seeking a new contract earlier this year, still feels like he’s in his prime as he prepares to turn 32 years old, he tells Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

NFC South Notes: Saints, Panthers, Falcons

June 18th, 2015 at 9:15pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

A judge on Thursday ruled 87-year-old Saints owner Tom Benson mentally competent and fit to continue running his business empire, but that doesn’t mean he’s in the clear. Benson announced in January that he was cutting his daughter and her children out of Saints ownership and leaving the team to his wife of 10 years, which led to lawsuits in both Louisiana and Texas. Those lawsuits were filed by his daughter, Renee, and her children, Rita and Ryan LeBlanc, who tried to prove that Benson was incapable of running his businesses. That failed, but his daughter and grandchildren might appeal, writes Andy Grimm of NOLA.com, and it could set off a years-long fight for ownership of both the Saints and the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans.

Here’s more on the Saints and two of their NFC South rivals:

Even though the Panthers signed quarterback Cam Newton to a mega-deal earlier this month, general manager Dave Gettleman told Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer that he doesn’t want the 26-year-old to change his dual-threat playing style to avoid potential injuries. “He’s got to be Cam. You don’t hold back a thoroughbred, you don’t,” said Gettleman. Newton has established himself as an elite running QB during his four-year career, piling up over 2,500 yards and 33 touchdowns.
One of Newton’s go-to targets, wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin, struggled with weight issues at Florida State and has tacked on some pounds this offseason after a stellar rookie year, but Gettleman isn’t concerned. “It really is much ado about nothing. Right now he’s only five pounds off his playing weight. That’s it,” Gettleman told Person.“He’s a few pounds over, that’s all. He’ll be fine.”
Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan‘s sack total dropped precipitously last year, going from 12.5 the previous year to 7.5 for a defense that had the third-fewest sacks in the NFC. Defensive line coach Bill Johnson believes Jordan is primed for a return to his 2013 form.“There’s two or three things that we’re going to go after and he’s made improvement on those things. At this time in the year you break down each guy individually and try to give him their needs and I think he accepted them well,” Johnson said, according to Andrew Lopez of NOLA.com. “He’s been consistent on the practice field. It’s a coaching eye. I’ve looked at him going on five years; I know what I’m seeing.”
Falcons coach Dan Quinn wouldn’t comment directly Thursday when asked about free agent offensive guard Evan Mathis, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter (via Twitter). The Falcons, like many other teams, are a potential fit for Mathis – a two-time Pro Bowler whom the Eagles released last week.

Injury Updates: Sunday

October 19th, 2014 at 9:42pm CST by Rory Parks

Several big names who have been contending with injuries are expected to suit up for their Week 7 matchups today. Be sure to check back here when the games begin to keep an eye on any significant injuries that may arise over the course of today’s action:

Falcons‘ offensive lineman Peter Konz will have an MRI tomorrow, but a source has said that the injury is considered to be severe and will cost him the trip to London if not more, reports Vaughn McClure of ESPN (via Twitter).
Bills‘ running back Fred Jackson‘s injury is thought to keep him out of the lineup for a maximum of four weeks, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). He notes that four weeks is the worst-case scenario.

Earlier Updates:

Fred Jackson suffered a groin injury during today’s game, and he will miss at least two weeks, per La Canfora (on Twitter). The Bills have a bye during Week 9, so it’s possible the veteran running back could return for Week 10.
Bears first-round cornerback Kyle Fuller has suffered a broken hand in addition to a hip pointer, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). There’s no word on how long the rookie will be sidelined, but as La Canfora notes, “it’s hard to play corner [with one] hand.”
In an unfortunate turn of events, Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman broke his foot during warmups, head coach Pete Carroll told reporters, including Terry Blount of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict had already been dealing with concussion issues during recent weeks, and now head coach Marvin Lewis tells reporters, including Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link), that Burfict has a “cervical neck strain.”
Having recovered from a minor groin injury, Chargers cornerback Brandon Flowers was forced from today’s game against the Chiefs with a concussion, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.
Ravens long-snapper Morgan Cox tore his ACL, head coach John Harbaugh told reporters, including Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Harbaugh confirms the team will immediately begin looking for a new LS.
Saints center Jonathan Goodwin had to be helped off the field during Sunday’s loss to the Lions, according to Marc Sessler of NFL.com. Tim Lelito is Goodwin’s direct backup.
Also per Sessler, Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo suffered a pectoral injury today, and will undergo an MRI tomorrow. A significant injury to Orakpo could mean more playing time for rookie Trent Murphy.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Bengals WR A.J. Green will not play against the Colts.
Saints TE Jimmy Graham is expected to take the field against the Lions today, but he wants to test his shoulder prior to the game before officially declaring himself ready, tweets ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Schefter adds (via Twitter) that even if Graham does play, he is not expected to start, and NFL Network’s Albert Breer tweets that he expects the Saints to use Graham in red-zone packages as they have done when he has been banged up in the past.
NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin, who has been dealing with a concussion, has been cleared to play against the Packers this afternoon.

Panthers Links: Benjamin, Gettleman, Cuts

August 31st, 2014 at 10:09am CST by Rob DiRe

Two of the three position groups on the Panthers that were the most uncertain heading into the offseason remain that way as the regular season is only a week away. The offensive line and the secondary could struggle in 2014, but the team had questions at those spots last year and found ways to patch up the holes, writes David Newton of ESPN.com. Hopefully rookie first-round pick Kelvin Benjamin can do his part to sure up the lack of receiving threats on the team.

Here are some other links from around the Panthers as the season draws near:

General manager David Gettleman made a few gambles this offseason, and the future of the team depends on how these moves pay off, writes Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Gettleman completely revamped the secondary and the receivers, and also franchising Greg Hardy will go a long way to determining his legacy as a general manager.
Person also breaks down the team’s final roster, going through all the cuts and surprising keepers, as the team looks to build on a strong 2013.
The Panthers have not repeated as division champions in the NFC South since the NFL realigned divisions in 2002, but has high hopes to do so for the first time in 2014, after going from worst-to-first in 2013, according to Person.
While Person is optimistic, his colleague Tom Sorensen notes that it will be hard to replicate their success in 2013. He sees their records in close games will be hard to keep up, and it would be unlikely to see them go 5-1 in the division again.
Part of the reason the Panthers are optimistic about making it back to the playoffs is their impressive draft record as of late. Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer notes that the team believes it has hit big on their last four first-round picks, with Cam Newton, Luke Kuechly, Star Lotulelei and Benjamin.
Jones also writes that no matter what problems the team has on offense and in the secondary, the team is built with the front seven. He compares the team to a bucket of rocks, while they fill it with the pebble at receiver and corner, with free agents, the team has drafted big rocks and boulders along their defensive line and with their linebackers.
Two surprises to make the team were Andrew Norwell and David Focault, offensive linemen who were on the outside looking in a few months ago, writes Bill Voth of the BlackAndBlueReview.com. Norwell is a former Ohio State Buckeye who played well in the preseason. Focault comes from the University of Montreal, and while he was outmatched at times in the NFL, the team was worried he would not clear waivers.

Poll: Which Rookie WR Will Have Best Season?

August 21st, 2014 at 6:22pm CST by Zachary Links

They say there are some things you can’t teach in sports. One of them is size. Another is the ability to make a jaw-dropping one-handed catch after tripping just one second prior. Bills rookie wide receiver Sammy Watkins is lacking in the first department but he’s got the latter down pat.

With top-level speed, excellent agility, and soft hands, Watkins was almost universally regarded as the top WR talent in the 2014 class. So, he’s a lock to win this poll, right? Maybe not. Second-year quarterback EJ Manuel boasts a strong arm but he’s far from elite and one has to wonder how many quality balls he can deliver to Manuel. The Clemson product is also working through a rib injury which could possibly hamper him to start the season.

Moving further down the draft board, there are plenty of other wide receivers with an opportunity to make a name for themselves in year one. The Panthers overhauled their entire receiving corps this offseason and many are expecting big things out of FSU’s Kelvin Benjamin. In New Orleans, many are skeptical of what the once solid Marques Colston can do and the hype around Brandin Cooks is reaching a fever pitch. And, without DeSean Jackson, Jordan Matthews could see a lot of balls thrown his way in Philadelphia. Beyond those guys, there are even more promising WR’s from this year’s receiver-heavy draft. Who among them will have the best 2014 season?