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Panthers' Benjamin focused on clicking with Cam, not replacing Smith


rayzor

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short read. nice and fluffy. still very good stuff to be hearing from the young giant.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/panthers/2014/05/30/kelvin-benjamin-carolina-steve-smith-cam-newton/9781927/

LOS ANGELES — Kelvin Benjamin understands the external pressure to become the Carolina Panthers' replacement for Steve Smith.

But Benjamin doesn't really understand the direct comparison.

 

For starters, Benjamin dwarfs Smith. At 6-5 and 240 pounds, Benjamin looks more like a tight end or pass rusher than a wide receiver. He stands as tall as his new quarterback, Cam Newton, and has shoulders nearly as broad as those of Jadeveon Clowney.

 

"We're totally two different receivers," Benjamin said while comparing himself to Smith, the 5-9, 185-pound firebrand who set most of Carolina's significant receiving records over 13 seasons before being released in March.

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"I have to really come in and be focused. I have to grow even faster as a player. I don't have much time for error, can't really say, 'Oh I'm a rookie,' " Benjamin told USA TODAY Sports at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere.

 

"I really have to come in and have a veteran mentality."

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"Really, I mean I could say I want to be rookie of the year. But really all I want to do is win. I feel like if we win, I will win rookie of the year. But I just want a Super Bowl," Benjamin said.

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"We're building that chemistry," Benjamin said. "He needs to know I've got his back."

there's a little bit more to the article that i almost posted, but i didn't want to quote the whole article and it's worth the click, imo.

 

good to see he's not willing to sit back and redshirt his rookie year or make excuses. he's demanding from himself to come in and act like a veteran player. i like to see that bar set high.

 

it's also really good seeing about that chemistry building with cam going on. i'm really hoing we have something special getting ready to start this year between these two guys.

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When I read Benjamin said " I didn't want to let him down (Winston)" in the national championship game winning catch I was sold. Team-first mentality, great teammate, ungodly natural skills.

If he keeps this mindset he will do great things. It's been reported he constantly wants to hang with Cam and Cam the same. I haven't been this excited about a player in years. I realize it might be the smith effect but I've loved everything this guy has said since we drafted him.

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Every day I love the pick more and more. KB is the man on and off the field. Sad to see Smitty go but I am so damn excited for the Era of Cam to Kelvin, 1 to 13. Over a decade of it, please.

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Please don't be that fan base that can't let things go... Just stop guys, let smitty go for fugs sake. 

 

It has been years and we still have some fans that rage everytime Peppers is mentioned.  Not everyone in a fanbase is good at letting things go. 

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