NFL PLAYER NEWS

Panthers lose WR Benjamin for season

The Sports Xchange

August 19, 2015 at 6:26 pm.

The loss of Kelvin Benjamin (13) is a big blow to Carolina. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

The loss of Kelvin Benjamin (13) is a big blow to Carolina. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin crumbled to the ground with a torn ACL in his left knee early in Wednesday’s joint practice with the Miami Dolphins that will sideline him for the 2015 season.

The Panthers confirmed the season-ending injury in a news release.

“Obviously, we feel awful for Kelvin,” Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman said. “He’s worked tremendously hard to put himself in a positon to have a strong year. We’re confident he will attack his surgery and rehab with the same determination he has met all challenges before.”

Benjamin was crossing the field when he stopped to plant while running a route and went to the turf in a heap with both hands wrapped around the top of his left knee. There was no contact on the play.

Benjamin was taken off the field on a motorized cart.

“He went to plant and make a swim move and without any contact just kind of went down,” Panthers coach Ron Rivera said. “It was unfortunate and it’s one of those things that could have happened in any drill.”

A first-round pick in 2014, Benjamin was second on the team with 73 receptions behind only tight end Greg Olsen and had a team-high nine touchdowns.

Benjamin was targeted 144 times last season, more than any rookie.

Corey Brown, Jerricho Cotchery, Ted Ginn, Brenton Bersin and rookie second-rounder Devin Funchess remain on the depth chart. Ginn said losing the team’s No. 1 receiver is devastating, but he expected the group to be ready to step up.

Funchess was on the sideline by the end of Wednesday’s joint workout with a hamstring strain and was expected to miss Thursday’s practice.

ALL  |  NFL  |  College Football  |  MLB  |  NBA