Here is the news for July 6.
By Dominic LoVallo / Contributing Correspondent
When Brandon Beane traded for Kelvin Benjamin, he picked up a high-caliber player who has underperformed for the last few years. But in all fairness to the fourth-year veteran (third if you don’t count the 2015 season), Benjamin has been dealing with leg injuries in every season since his rookie year. But here are three reasons Benjamin’s game could take off in his first full season with the Bills.
He’s healthy It was clear watching Benjamin last season that he was nowhere near full. A torn lateral meniscus in his knee, suffered in the Chargers game left him with one good leg the rest of the 2017 campaign. During OTAs Benjamin looked leaner, faster, stronger and he looks like he can jump a lot higher. It really is night and day when looking at the difference a few months can make.
“I mean last year I couldn’t even bend. I couldn’t bend my right leg… it was bad,” said Benjamin. “It was to the point where I was always kind of second guessing myself. I was asking McDermott if I should even play… but I would always try and give it my all.”
He will get number one receiver targets
Because Benjamin is healthy, and because he is the only proven threat locked into a spot right now, Benjamin should be getting the targets he wasn’t getting last season. That includes his time in Carolina.
In his first season in the league, Benjamin hauled in over 1,000-yards receiving and nine touchdowns. After missing all the 2015 season due to an injury, Benjamin was still able to pull in 941-yards receiving for seven touchdowns.
Last season, Benjamin didn’t feel like he was featured correctly even though he was supposed to be the number one.
“I wasn’t getting my number one targets,” he said.
In Buffalo, he knows he will get that opportunity.
“It’s a business,” said Benjamin. “And they’re always bringing young guys in, and the young guys keep you pushing. You just got to keep pushing, keep working and hope the team wants to feature you as their number one.”