The Kansas City Chiefs announced the signing of free agent Kelvin Benjamin on Friday shortly before a report surfaced that fellow wide receiver Sammy Watkins could be out at least a month.
Benjamin, who was released by the Buffalo Bills earlier this week, reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with the Chiefs, owners of the best record in the AFC at 10-2.
The reason for Benjamin’s signing became clearer when the Kansas City Star reported Friday morning that Watkins will be sidelined for four to six weeks due to a foot injury.
Watkins, who underwent an MRI exam last month, reported aggravated the injury in Thursday’s practice. He sat out last week’s 40-33 win at Oakland and a Week 10 matchup against Arizona.
After being waived by the Bills on Tuesday, Benjamin went unclaimed on waivers Wednesday, making him a free agent. Benjamin was acquired by Buffalo from the Carolina Panthers in October 2017 in exchange for two draft picks.
Benjamin, a first-round draft pick in 2014, had a big rookie season with the Panthers when he had 73 receptions for 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns. But he hasn’t been the same since tearing his ACL before the start of the 2015.
The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Benjamin had just 23 receptions for 354 yards and one touchdown in 12 games (10 starts) with Buffalo this season, and had just seven receptions for 92 yards in his final four games.
Watkins has 40 receptions — one more than his season total with the Rams in 2017 — for 519 yards and three touchdowns for the Chiefs. He had a team-high eight receiving scores for Los Angeles a year ago.
Despite a disappointing season with the Rams last season, Kansas City signed Watkins to a three-year, $48 million contract in the offseason.
The 25-year-old Watkins, a former No. 4 overall pick of Buffalo in the 2014 NFL Draft, missed the first eight games of the 2016 season due to a broken bone in his foot.
The 6-foot-1, 211-pound Watkins had an outstanding rookie campaign will the Bills, posting a career-best 65 receptions for 982 yards and six touchdowns. He followed that up by going over 1,000 yards (1,047) the following season and posted a career-high nine touchdown catches.
