FSU alums: Fans react Kelvin Benjamin signing with NY Giants

The New York Giants announced they signed former FSU wide receiver and NFL first-round pick Kelvin Benjamin.

Benjamin received an invitation to the Giants rookie camp on a trial basis and worked at both wide receiver and tight end.

Benjamin hasn’t played in the NFL since the 2018 season with the Kansas City Chiefs. One thing of note is, Giant’s GM Dave Gettleman was the GM of the Carolina Panthers when they selected Benjamin with their first-round pick in 2014.

Benjamin had 73 receptions for 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie but tore his ACL in a non-contact drill before the 2015 season. His sophomore season in 2016 was nearly as productive despite receiving fewer targets.

The Carolina Panthers traded Benjamin in his third season with the team to the Buffalo Bills, but Benjamin was never able to find the form of his first two seasons.

Kelvin Benjamin has always been an imposing figure at 6’6″ and 240 pounds, but he struggled to manage his weight which impacted his performance on the field. He also looked uninterested in playing at times(which is something that was an issue early in his time at FSU).

Benjamin saw his production dwindle in Buffalo, and they released him with the Kansas City Chiefs signing him to a one-year deal. He played in three regular-season games but didn’t make the playoff roster and was out of the league after that season.

Fan Reaction

Impact

I think most folks believe Benjamin will make the transition to tight end, but it seems the Giants use him at both tight end and wide receiver. Benjamin is only 30 years old and can still be a productive player if motivated.

He could be a force in the red zone if nothing else with his size. The Giants were one of the worst passing teams in the league and only had 12 passing touchdowns all season in 2020.

Congrats to Kelvin Benjamin, and here’s to hoping he capitalizes on the opportunity.