Kelvin Benjamin gets option exercised despite weight
By Bryan Holmes
The Carolina Panthers exercised the fifth-year team option on wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin Tuesday despite weight concerns.
The Carolina Panthers are taking a chance and picking up the fifth-year option on wide-receiver Kelvin Benjamin. The option will pay Benjamin $8 million for the 2018 season.
Kelvin Benjamin has been a mystery throughout his NFL career. In his rookie season he put up over 1,000 years and nine touchdowns. His second season in the NFL he tore his ACL. In that season the Panthers went on to make it to the Super Bowl without any real legitimate threat at the wide-receiver position.
Last season, Benjamin tallied 63 catches for 941 yards and seven touchdowns. Also last season he had lapses where he showed little hustle. Most notably a play where he let up on an interception and Cam Newton had to have surgery because of the play.
At 6-foot-5, Benjamin creates a large target for Newton to throw to in an offense that lacks legitimate targets. However, Benjamin has had a chronic problem with his weight management. Benjamin is listed at 245 pounds but he is rumored to be around 280 pounds coming into camp. While being a heavier wide receiver has always helped Benjamin in the sense that he is able to take more hits and bounce off defensive backs, maybe a diet is in order.
Head coach Ron Rivera disputed the claims that Benjamin showed up to camp at 280 pounds but Rivera is also seeing things that he likes from Benjamin early in this process.
"“Am I concerned? Yes, because he is heavy. I’m going to admit that right now. But is he working hard? Absolutely. He’s been there everyday and done the things we’ve asked him to do, and it’s all strictly on a voluntary basis.”"
If Benjamin can get his weight back down, he is one of the most physically imposing wide receivers in the league at his size. The Panthers need him to slim down and return to his rookie self for them to get back to their 2015 form.
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Despite any of the doubt among Benjamin and his weight one thing isn’t arguable, he is their best option at wide receiver.