Kelvin Benjamin’s transition to tight end doesn’t appear to be going all that well.
Benjamin was always viewed as overweight as a wide receiver, which is why his NFL career was fairly short, especially for a former first-round draft pick. His big frame gave him a large catch radius, but he struggled to gain separation against athletic defensive backs, and also was limited in his route tree, as he couldn’t stretch the field vertically.
And that’s probably why he hasn’t been in the league since 2018, when he played for the Bills and Chiefs. He claims to have reinvented himself, in a push to suit up as a tight end.
The Giants apparently weren’t buying it, as they briefly worked him out at training camp, only to release him on Wednesday.
Benjamin recently spoke about his release, and he intimated head coach Joe Judge had it out for him.
“First thing [Judge] said is I came in 15 pounds overweight,” Benjamin said, via ESPN.com. “So I’m like, ‘How did I come in 15 pounds overweight when I was 265 for minicamp?’ And he said you left at 265 and came back at 268. Of course. I lift weights. I got more muscle.
“I’m basically smaller than I was as a wide receiver. I was like, how is that possible? I’m a tight end now. How does that make sense?”
Benjamin went on to add that he’s “disappointed,” but he seems intent on trying to land with a team in the future.
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