The Carolina Panthers got some good news today when they found out that their first round draft pick from this year, wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin, only has a bone bruise in his left knee instead of structural damage.
According to Pro Football Talk, Benjamin and a teammate banged knees during practice on Sunday.
Panthers head coach Ron River told the media that Benjamin’s wouldn’t be that long, but that will not push him back on to the field.
“It’s just a matter of getting the bone to calm down, get the swelling out, then getting him out on the practice field in a matter of time,” he said. “It could be a few days, but it’s not really fair to give it a timeframe at this points.”
Benjamin has been practicing with the first team offense during training camp and is expected to make a contribution immediately, once the regular season starts, according to the Charlotte Observer.
Last season at Florida State, Benjamin caught the game winning touchdown in the BCS National Championship game against Auburn. He had 54 receptions, 1,011 yards and 15 touchdowns, according to ESPN.