David Newton with a bold prediction

[Mr. Scot]

Benjamin will make Carolina forget Smith

 

That's a pretty tall order :blink:

[MedellinHeel]

def of a homer. 

 

he even know who smith is?

[Mr. Scot]

Excerpts...
 

 

Getting Florida State wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin with the 28th pick of Thursday's NFL draft begins the healing process for a Carolina Panthers' fan base mourning the release of its all-time leading receiver.

It also is the beginning of redemption for general manager Dave Gettleman, chastised when he let Smith go in March and subsequently allowed the team's next three wide receivers to sign with other organizations in free agency.

"I'm sure Cam is not mad at me now," Gettleman said joking in reference to quarterback Cam Newton.

 

 

Gettleman knew this was a good year for wide receivers when he let Smith and company go. He didn't know how many of those receivers would grade out to be first-rounders, but he had no doubts about Benjamin after having him in for a workout.

Gettleman also had a gut feeling that Benjamin would be there at No. 28 even though many mock drafts didn't.

When he was, it didn't take Gettleman long to make the pick -- just as it didn't take him long a year ago to select defensive tackle Star Lotulelei at No. 14.

"He was the highest-rated guy on our board," Gettleman said of Benjamin. "And again, like last year, value. We got fortunate."

 

 

 

 

One of those touchdowns was the BCS title-winner over Auburn, the team Newton led to the national championship at the end of the 2010 season, which is sure to come up in conversation.

But it wasn't so much that Benjamin caught the game-winner. It's that he caught it when everyone in the stadium knew he was going to be the target.

The Panthers needed to replace a clutch player in Smith. In Benjamin, they got clutch.

 

 

 

 

"He said he didn't want to let that quarterback down," Rivera said. "I love that confidence."

Unlike the flamboyant Smith's, it is a quiet confidence. Benjamin isn't an in-your-face player. He is humble, so much so that he opted to stay in Florida with his parents for the draft instead of going to Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

That was something else that made him attractive to Carolina, which is trying to build an organization around teamwork and not egos. Smith, in case you never noticed, had a big ego.

"He's a different young man," Rivera said of Benjamin. "He's been very humble with us through this process. All the coaches said that."

 

 

 

 

Benjamin will give the Panthers more than a threat at receiver. He'll provide a big blocker who can open room for Newton and the Carolina backs down field.

He likes to block. He wants to block.

His presence also won't allow teams to stack eight in the box to stop the run, which will enable the Panthers to do more with its bread-and-butter game.

This was a win for a Carolina team that has done nothing but lose in the wide receiver department since it lost to San Francisco in the divisional round of the playoffs.

 

 

 

[Mr. Scot]

def of a homer. 

 

he even know who smith is?

 

David Newton is arguably the best reporter covering the team right now.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

This is the type of sh*t that I don't understand...

 

Benjamin isn't here to make us forget about Steve Smith or replace Steve Smith... he's here to be Kelvin Benjamin.

 

I'm pretty sure Michael Crabtree wasn't drafted to make San Francisco fans forget about Jerry Rice.

[PhillyB]

no one will forget smith. however i, despite him having been my favorite player of all time, have pretty much completely moved on emotionally. it was a tough parting and i'm sure the ravens game is going to twist my heart into a goddamn brick but i really think it was a necessary move and the panthers will be better off for it.

 

of course it'd be a lot harder if steve had been putting up 1200+ yards a year as an integral component of the offense, but that clearly wasn't the case. let benjamin sniff a thousand this year with some nasty TD grabs and panther nation, unimaginable as it was this time 12 months ago, will have a new hero and steve smith will be an afterthought.

 

such is the way of the nfl

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Oh by the way, I like David as a reporter but this article wasn't needed and he obviously did it because it will get hits.

[updownsigma]

Prediction: KB breaks Moss's rookie receiving touchdowns record

[TheRed]

Leave Smith out of it, let Benjamin be his own man.

[OneBadCat]

It would f'n sweet though if we still have Smith to work the slot and have KB on the outside.

[SOJA]

It would f'n sweet though if we still have Smith to work the slot and have KB on the outside.

think thats the issue though, steve would have reacted poorly to a round 1 receiver

[PhillyB]

benjamin will be for cam what dez bryant is for tony romo

[XClown1986]

You mean offensive rookie of the year Kelvin Benjamin?

[SauceBoss]

People poo on Benjamin dropping passes, but he didn't drop near as many as Donald Lafail did last year.