2016 NFL free agency: Who signs Travis Benjamin?
By Nick Ziegler
Who signs free agent wide receiver Travis Benjamin in 2016 NFL Free Agency?
The Cleveland Browns continue to be a mess after another poor 2015 season. The quarterback position is the main problem with the Browns, as the Johnny Manziel experiment has been a total failure. In 2016, the Browns may have a new starting quarterback depending on what they do in the NFL Draft, but they will need to make sure the next quarterback has some weapons on offense.
Having a solid supporting cast around a young quarterback will be important, and aside from Gary Barnidge, Benjamin is their next best weapon.
Vitals
Age: 26
Notable stat: 966 receiving yards in 2015
Pro Bowls: 0
All-Pro Teams: 0
Contract comparison
Benjamin will be looking to get his first big contract of his career coming off of a great year in 2015. This free agency class is rather weak at the wide receiver position, and at 26 years old, Benjamin can be looking to forward to a pretty nice contract.
Depending on where he goes, Benjamin could see himself come into a big pay day, as his current team, the Browns, may have to over pay to keep him around. Whether he is worth it or not, Benjamin is going to get a nice contract because of his breakout season last year. The increase in the NFL salary cap will also be beneficial for Benjamin along with the whole free agency class.
Estimate: 4 years/$24 million/$10 million guaranteed
Will he stay?
It was originally believed that Benjamin was going to be staying with the Browns, as their negotiations appeared to be close to getting a deal done about a week ago. In recent days, talks broke down between the two sides, and now it appears that Benjamin will be at least testing free agency.
The Browns really need Benjamin to re-sign, as he was second on the team in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. With uncertainty at the quarterback position, keeping the combination of Benjamin and Barnidge in 2016 will be important for the Browns’ offense
If he leaves…
With the recent news that talks have broken down between Benjamin and the Browns, the possibility of him leaving is a real one. Benjamin will certainly be interested in going to a team better than the Browns in 2016, and he will likely have a few options.
One team that appears to be a great fit for Benjamin is the Atlanta Falcons. Julio Jones needs a new sidekick at wide receiver, and Benjamin would be great in that role. Jones would be helped by having a talented player who can stretch the field opposite of him, and Benjamin would great benefit from the attention that Jones draws from opposing defenses.