Panther WR left early in Week 3
#Panthers coach Ron Rivera confirms WR Kelvin Benjamin’s MRI on his knee showed no structural damage. Good news. (Ian Rapoport on Twitter)
Nerdy Football Analysis: Benjamin finished Sunday with 2 catches for 8 yards after leaving in the first quarter with a knee injury. While no structural damage is good news, Benjamin could still miss some time depending on the diagnosis. We should know more about his availability for Week 4 later in the week.
WR reportedly weighed nearly 270 pounds at one point
Whatever Kelvin Benjamin tipped the scales at in April ?” Ron Rivera says it wasn’t 280 pounds, although he might have been touching 270 ?” the fourth-year wideout seemed to get the message Rivera sent publicly after the draft. Benjamin needs to show up to Spartanburg looking like he did the final day of minicamp, when he reached down to pluck a pass a couple inches off the grass and got both feet inbounds. (The Charlotte Observer)
Nerdy Football Analysis: Benjamin is always going to be a big receiver, but his weight fluctuation continues to be an issue. At his best, KB is nearly unstoppable on high-point throws and in the red zone. A slim-and-trim Benjamin is critical for the Panthers as they make their transition from a power-running team to one more reliant on versatile big-play rookies Christian McCaffrey and Curtis Samuel.