Why Kelvin Benjamin has better chance than Tim Tebow at TE

Could former Carolina Panthers wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin succeed after being signed by the New York Giants in 2021?

This offseason seems to be one for comebacks where former NFL players are concerned. Tim Tebow’s much-publicized move to the Jacksonville Jaguars has fans and media wondering whether reuniting with his college head coach Urban Meyer can be enough to make a better go of things switching to the tight end position.

Now, there is another veteran with connections to the Carolina Panthers that is doing the same.

According to Ian Rappaport of the NFL Network, the New York Giants are signing Kelvin Benjamin after a successful workout. The wide receiver will try his hand at becoming a tight end and clearly did enough to convince the coaching staff he is worth bringing on board for OTAs and training camp in the hope the player can make the 53-man roster.

Much will depend on how Benjamin adjusts to a new position. The Florida State product spent 3.5 seasons with the Panthers after they selected him in the first round back in 2014, going over 1,000 yards during his rookie campaign to burst onto the scene.

Benjamin missed the entire 2015 season with a torn ACL, which significantly derailed his progress. Although he generated 941 receiving yards when he returned in 2016, he played just eight games the following season and was shipped to the Buffalo Bills for a third-rounder that they ended up wasting on Rashaan Gaulden.

Things didn’t go according to plan for Benjamin in Buffalo and he also spent a brief period on the Kansas City Chiefs before the league gave up on him entirely following the 2018 campaign.

This is the last chance saloon for Benjamin, who was criticized for his work ethic in Carolina and also got the fans offside by being critical of quarterback Cam Newton’s distribution. Whether the player has been humbled to a certain degree in his two years away from the gridiron is up for debate, but if this doesn’t work out he can kiss goodbye to any more opportunities.

Kelvin Benjamin has more going for him than Tim Tebow.

Benjamin has a better shot at thriving in his new position than Tebow. He has bundles of experience running routes efficiently and has more athleticism when it comes to catching passes.

Tebow might be a harder worker than Benjamin has proven to be throughout his career. But when one examines talent alone, it isn’t really a contest.

If Benjamin makes a smooth transition, then his size represents a real matchup nightmare for covering outside linebackers or slot cornerbacks, something that the Giants might be able to take advantage of.

Whether Benjamin can generate any meaningful targets is another matter entirely. New York has the talented Evan Engram and free-agent signing Kyle Rudolph sitting atop the depth chart, with Kaden Smith and Levine Toilolo also aiming for a place on the roster.

It will be difficult for Benjamin, of that there is little doubt. He’ll be on a short leash and has to come in with the right attitude, but his physical attributes were never in question.

Making an early impression was the first step for Benjamin. Now he has to show he still has what it takes at a position that demands an awful lot from a player.