WR Travis Benjamin to sign with San Diego Chargers

Wide receiver Travis Benjamin will leave the Cleveland Browns after four yours with the team for the San Diego Chargers in 2016’s NFL free agency period.

According to NFL Network’s Rand Getlin, four-year NFL veteran wide receiver Travis Benjamin plans to sign with the San Diego Chargers after playing every season of his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns during the 2016 free agency period.

Benjamin was originally drafted by the Browns in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft out of the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. The 26-year-old wide receiver is coming off his best season as a professional, one where he set career highs in catches (68), receiving yards (966), and touchdown receptions (five).

While Benjamin was largely expected to leave the Browns in 2016 NFL free agency, joining the Chargers comes as a bit of a surprise. Both Cleveland and San Diego were two of the worst three teams in the NFL last season and while Cleveland will certainly take a new franchise quarterback at No. 2 in the 2016 NFL Draft, perhaps Benjamin wants more of a sure thing under center in Philip Rivers.

Rivers had a strong season for the Chargers despite losing most of his weapons at his disposal in the San Diego receiving corps. By coming to San Diego, it likely means that Benjamin could become a strong No. 2 wideout for the Chargers and could conceivably break 1,000 yards receiving in 2016, setting more career highs in his fifth season in the league.

Overall this signing would have been of a higher profile if Benjamin went to a more competitive team as opposed to leaving one AFC doormat for another. However, it is more likely that the Chargers will turn it around in 2016 than the Browns when looking at their respective rosters, so maybe this adds to Benjamin’s decision to leave dreary Cleveland for sunny San Diego.