Kelvin Benjamin likely will become an unrestricted free agent, and I wonder what kind of interest he’ll receive. If any.
Benjamin is a former first-round pick. He’s huge. He was listed at 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds last year. He’s occasionally used that size to win on contested throws. He potentially can create matchup problems against smaller defensive backs.
But Benjamin has had problems with getting too heavy (even back at Florida State), and two different teams have decided to move on from him – both the Panthers and Bills. He ended up as a lightly-used reserve last year for Kansas City.
Even when in shape, Benjamin doesn’t have much speed. Against most defensive backs, he has problems getting open. He needs to rely on his size and catch radius, and it’s hard to be consistently successful on those kinds of throws.
The league now places tracking chips on all the players. They use those to keep track of some obscure stats. That includes average separation. That is: How open is a receiver on balls thrown to him?
In the last three years, Benjamin has been the worst receiver in the league at getting open. His average separation has been 1.8, 2.0 and 1.7 yards. Since 2016, only four other players have averaged under 2 yards per pass play.
This is a newer stat, by the way, and one that I’m still getting used to. I notice that most of the players with low numbers tend to be larger receivers, and that makes sense. Teams are more willing to throw to those players even when they’re covered. DeAndre Hopkins didn’t have a great separation number in 2017, and nobody’s suggesting he isn’t assume.
Below is the list all of all players with separation numbers of 2.2 yards or lower in the last three years. Mike Evans and Marvin Jones also show up all three years. Alshon Jeffery, Allen Robinson and Donte Moncrief all show up twice.
SEPARATION ON ROUTES (2016-18) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Team | Avg |
2018 | Kelvin Benjamin | BUF-KC | 1.7 |
2017 | • Alshon Jeffery | PHI | 1.8 |
2016 | Dez Bryant | DAL | 1.8 |
2016 | Kelvin Benjamin | CAR | 1.8 |
2016 | • Allen Robinson | JAC | 1.9 |
2018 | Chad Williams | ARI | 1.9 |
2017 | Kelvin Benjamin | BUF | 2.0 |
2017 | Dontrelle Inman | CHI | 2.0 |
2016 | Devin Funchess | CAR | 2.0 |
2018 | David Moore | SEA | 2.0 |
2018 | A.J. Green | CIN | 2.0 |
2016 | • Marvin Jones | DET | 2.0 |
2018 | • Allen Robinson | CHI | 2.0 |
2016 | Tajae Sharpe | TEN | 2.1 |
2017 | Roger Lewis | NYG | 2.1 |
2018 | Mike Williams | LAC | 2.1 |
2017 | Kamar Aiken | IND | 2.1 |
2018 | Josh Gordon | NE | 2.1 |
2016 | Demaryius Thomas | DEN | 2.1 |
2017 | DeAndre Hopkins | HOU | 2.1 |
2017 | • Mike Evans | TB | 2.1 |
2018 | • Mike Evans | TB | 2.1 |
2018 | TreQuan Smith | NO | 2.2 |
2016 | Rishard Matthews | TEN | 2.2 |
2017 | Michael Crabtree | OAK | 2.2 |
2017 | Marquise Goodwin | SF | 2.2 |
2017 | Kenny Golladay | DET | 2.2 |
2016 | Julio Jones | ATL | 2.2 |
2017 | Josh Doctson | WAS | 2.2 |
2018 | John Ross | CIN | 2.2 |
2018 | Courtland Sutton | DEN | 2.2 |
2017 | Chris Godwin | TB | 2.2 |
2016 | Brian Quick | LAR | 2.2 |
2016 | Brandon Marshall | NYJ | 2.2 |
2016 | • Mike Evans | TB | 2.2 |
2017 | • Marvin Jones | DET | 2.2 |
2018 | • Marvin Jones | DET | 2.2 |
2017 | • Donte Moncrief | IND | 2.2 |
2018 | • Donte Moncrief | JAC | 2.2 |
2016 | • Alshon Jeffery | CHI | 2.2 |
—Ian Allan