The New York Giants intend to sign wide receiver/tight end Kelvin Benjamin following his tryout during the team’s three-day rookie minicamp.
Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News was the first to report the news.
The Giants are signing Kelvin Benjamin, according to a source. He tried out as a tight end. Now he’s on the roster. #giants
— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) May 16, 2021
Although Benjamin, who the Giants list as 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, worked primarily at tight end over the past two days, head coach Joe Judge cautioned against labeling him as any one thing.
“In terms of Benjamin working different positions today, we’re going to work different guys at a variety of things right now. He’s a big guy. He’s always been a big receiver. He’ll work receiver. He’s working a little bit flex tight end as well,” Judge told reporters on Friday. “I wouldn’t really kind of, you know, pin him down to any one position at this point. We’re going to use the weekend to move him around to different spots and see how it works out.”
Benjamin, 30, was a first-round pick of the Carolina Panthers in the 2014 NFL draft. Perhaps not so coincidentally, the general manager who selected him was Dave Gettleman.
In his first season, Benjamin hauled in 73 receptions for 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns. Many believed he had the potential to become one of the better receivers in football, but injuries quickly derailed his career.
In 2015, Benjamin suffered a torn ACL and was forced to sit out the entire year. He played in all 16 games the following season but was never again able to appear in a full slate.
After Benjamin’s time with the Panthers, he had a two-year stint with the Buffalo Bills (2017-2018) and a one-year stay with the Kansas City Chiefs (2018).
In 61 career games (52 starts), Benjamin has caught 209 passes for 3,021 yards and 20 touchdowns.