Wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin was selected by the Carolina Panthers in 2014 during the NFL Draft’s first round. The goal was to form a winning combination with quarterback Cam Newton.
Instead of the two football players complementing each other the opposite happened. During his rookie season Benjamin racked up 1000+ yards but tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) which caused him to miss most of the 2015 season.
Cam Newton helped the Panthers reach the finals of Super Bowl 50 and won the NFL MVP.
Benjamin returned during the next year but the team’s offense struggled. Last year, Benjamin was traded to the Buffalo Bills.
Benjamin recently told reporters that he would have been more successful if he had played with any quarterback besides Newton. He argued quarterbacks like Eli Manning and Aaron Rodgers had better football skills and knowledge.
In a statement, Benjamin said
Looking back on it, I should've just been drafted by somebody else. I should've never went to Carolina. Truly, I just think Carolina was bad for me. It was a bad fit from the get-go.
The Bills’ higher-ups were very upset about the situation involving Benjamin. The team’s General Manager Brandon Beane and Head Coach Sean McDermott both worked for Carolina in the past.
On Thursday, the Bills hosted the Panthers for a Week 1 pre-season game. This caused an awkward on-field situation during the pre game when Newton and Benjamin faced-off. Reporters in Buffalo described the situation as somewhat confrontational as it appeared that Benjamin ignored Newton and walked away which made the latter more upset.
Charlotte Observer
Newton got back at Benjamin as the Panthers defeated the Bills in the pre-season game 28-23. However, it is unlikely that this feud is over.
Benjamin has received much criticism for his career at Carolina. Many of the staff at the Carolina Panthers along with the players stated that he sometimes had a negative influence on the other receivers and quarterbacks.
Benjamin also started last year in bad physical shape. The Panthers picked up his fifth-year option although there were question marks about his weight. He reportedly weighed in 35 pounds over his typical playing weight of about 245 pounds.
Benjamin Needs To Improve
Training camp clips showed Benjamin lacking speed and precision when running routes. Even Kelvin Benjamin admitted he was in bad shape. He told Henson his first weigh-in made left him disappointed with himself.
