Carolina Panthers: Make Or Break Season For Kelvin Benjamin

Entering the fourth year of his NFL career, Carolina Panthers wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin finds himself in a make or break situation.

Having recently picked up the fifth year option on his rookie contract, the Carolina Panthers guaranteed the return of current No. 1 wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin. Selected 28th overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, Benjamin experienced great initial success and seemed destined to become one of the top-tier receiving threats in the league.

Everyone knows what happened next, with Benjamin tearing his ACL, a non-contact injury during 2015 training camp. While he could only watch from the sideline, Cam Newton would go on to win MVP, carrying a receiving corps consisting of castoffs and undrafted players along the way. Benjamin’s return in 2016 was expected to push the No. 1 scoring offense in the league over the top. Instead, the result was frustrating play and a significant regression.

At 6-5 and 245 pounds, Benjamin has one obvious advantage at his disposal: his size. He presents a difficult physical challenge for nearly every cornerback he lines up against, with the height and wingspan to simply outreach or out jump the competition.

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These advantages have also given Benjamin the room to get by largely on natural ability, and it shows in the finer aspects of his game. A notoriously lackadaisical route runner, he can often be seen rounding the top of his breaks or simply not finishing his route all the way through. His lack of aggressiveness and attentiveness to gain separation can be maddening to watch, and results in far too many 50/50 passes when targeted.

The Panthers are likely to select a new receiving option in the opening few rounds of the NFL Draft, and the direction the team goes in will paint a clearer picture for Benjamin. They could attempt to find a shifty slot receiver to pair with him, in the hopes he returns to form and reclaims the No. 1 receiver position. It seems more likely they’ll draft another outside receiver, one that can challenge Benjamin for the spot while doing it on a fresh rookie deal.

With his 2018 option exercised, the team owes him a potential $8 million two years from now. It should be noted that the figure isn’t currently guaranteed, and can be voided with his release before the beginning of the next league year.

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This squarely places the ball in Benjamin’s court, as he needs to show the drive and additional polish to his skill set if he wants to play out the option on his way to a new potential deal.

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