Buffalo Bills say they’re not discussing new contract for WR Kelvin Benjamin

It looks like Kelvin Benjamin will have to play the waiting game when it comes to getting a next contract with the Buffalo Bills. Team general manager Brandon Beane told the media last week that the Bills haven’t yet had discussions regarding a new contract for their wide receiver, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

“Well, we don’t really get into discussions or anything,” Beane said. “Right now, we’re happy he’s here and showed up and was out there working with everybody else. That’s really where it’s at; the focus right now is on the draft.”

Benjamin, 27, is entering his first full season with the Bills after being acquired at the trade deadline from the Carolina Panthers. Despite coming over to Buffalo at the midpoint of last season, Benjamin played in just six of the Bills’ final eight regular-season games because of injuries, putting up a pedestrian 217 yards and just one touchdown.

A former first-round pick, the six-foot-five Benjamin put together solid campaigns prior to the 2017 season. He had 1008 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie, and then followed up with 941 yards and seven touchdowns after missing all off 2015 because of an ACL injury. Both Beane and team head coach Sean McDermott are quite familiar with Benjamin having been members of the Panthers’ front office and coaching staffs, respectively, prior to Benjamin being drafted by the club in 2014 up till both men departed for Buffalo ahead of the 2017 season.

At the point in the offseason, Benjamin projects to be the Bills No. 1 wide receiver, with Zay Jones, Jeremy Kerley, Andre Holmes, Brandon Reily, Rod Streater, Quan Bray, and Malachi Dupre being the other wide receivers on the team’s roster. With eight picks in Thursday’s draft, including two in the first round, the Bills will likely pick up additional wide receivers. And of course, the recently-cut Dez Bryant, who Buffalo has reportedly expressed interest in, remains an option, as well.