According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Carolina Panthers have traded wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin to the Buffalo Bills for third and seventh-round draft picks.
Panthers traded WR Kelvin Benjamin to Buffalo for 3rd and 7th round picks, per source. Benjamin rejoins HC Sean McDermott, GM Brandon Beane.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 31, 2017
The sudden decision from the Panthers to move on from the 26-year-old is quite surprising given his role within the team's offense as the top receiving option. He had 32 receptions on 51 targets for a team-best 475 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
It was a last-second deal that was made just prior to 4 p.m. EST deadline on Tuesday afternoon that only brings light to how much the organization valued Benjamin in terms of his place in their future plans. He is under contract for the 2018 season for $8.5 million after the Panthers had picked up the fifth-year option on his rookie deal over this past offseason.
The former 2014 first-round pick is just two years removed from a torn ACL that forced him to miss the entire 2015 season, and he has struggled to build upon his impressive rookie campaign where he was just the 11th player to record more than 1,000 receiving yards in their first year.
Benjamin now enters a situation in Buffalo where he could quickly become the top receiving option in a similar offensive scheme with a mobile quarterback in Tyrod Taylor. The Bills have been active in retooling their receiving corp over the last few months with a trade for Jordan Matthews from the Philadelphia Eagles while dealing away Sammy Watkins to the Los Angeles Rams and drafting rookie Zay Jones.
Meanwhile, the Panthers will likely depend on third-year wideout Devin Funchess and rookie running back Christian McCaffrey to increase their production. McCaffrey is first on the team with 49 receptions in their passing game.
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