The New York Giants have signed wide receiver turned tight end Kelvin Benjamin, to a deal after a successful training session over the weekend. Benjamin, who has added a bit of weight since his last action in the NFL in 2018, will be a pass-catching TE and hopefully a developmental blocker.
Back in 2018, Benjamin caught 25 passes for 380 yards and one score, recording a 37.3% catch rate, a dismal performance. His last successful season came in 2016 when he was 25 years old, posting 941 yards and seven scores over 13 games started. Benjamin has experienced success in the past, but he is now 30 years old and looking for another opportunity in the NFL.
The former first-round pick stands at 6’4″ and 245 pounds, but he might’ve gained a little bit more weight given his transition to a tight end. The Giants currently have Evan Engram and Kyle Rudolph at the position, but Benjamin will give the team his best this summer as he looks to get a spot on the active roster.
While Benjamin might just be a camp body on a minimum deal, you never really know what a player can accomplish in a position change. Considering the fact that Tim Tebow recently signed with Jacksonville as a TE, Benjamin has the pass-catching history to be a decent option in that category. However, it is unknown how refined he is as a blocker, and simply being a big guy doesn’t indicate he has quality fundamentals.