Bene Benwikere - Pro Football Rumors

Panthers Cut Bene Benwikere

October 7th, 2016 at 10:55am CST by Zachary Links

Days after having a rough outing against Julio Jones, the Panthers have decided to cut starting cornerback Bene Benwikere, a source tells Tom Pelissero of USA Today (on Twitter). Benwikere did not look sharp against the Falcons, but he did earn himself a starting job and had an interception in the team’s season opener. His release comes as a surprise and he will likely be claimed by another team.

Last year, “Big Play Bene” appeared in 13 games (four starts) before a broken leg shut him down for the season. In total, the cornerback had 59 tackles, nine pass deflections, and one sack on the year last year. This year, he had ten tackles and four passes defensed before being bounced by Carolina.

On Oct. 2, Jones caught 12 passes for 300 yards and one touchdown. It was fair to assume that they would make some kind of change, but few expected them to bounce Benwikere.

In a related move, cornerback Zack Sanchez has been signed from the p-squad.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Panthers Sign Robert McClain; Benwikere To IR

December 15th, 2015 at 3:49pm CST by Luke Adams

The Panthers have begun to address their depth issues in the secondary, announcing today in a press release that they’ve signed free agent cornerback Robert McClain. In a corresponding roster move, the club placed corner Bene Benwikere on the injured reserve list due to a broken leg.

Five years ago, McClain began his career with the Panthers after being selected in the seventh round of the 2010 draft by the team, so it’s a homecoming of sorts for the 27-year-old. McClain last played for the Falcons, starting 15 of 47 games for Atlanta from the 2012 to 2014 seasons. A year ago, he compiled 59 tackles to go along with two interceptions and a sack.

While McClain will provide some veteran depth in the Panthers’ defensive backfield, another move may be coming later this week for Carolina. Bill Voth of Black and Blue Review hears from multiple sources that cornerback Charles Tillman has been dealing with a partially torn ACL, adding that an IR stint seems likely for the veteran.

Voth and Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer both indicate that the team is expected to promote cornerback Lou Young from the practice squad to take Tillman’s place on the roster, assuming the veteran’s knee doesn’t show signs of improvement this week.

Panthers’ Bene Benwikere Fractures Leg

December 13th, 2015 at 5:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 13-0 Panthers received some rare bad news amid their best regular season in franchise history. Nickel cornerback Bene Benwikere fractured his leg, Ron Rivera told media, including NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).

A second-year player, Benwikere’s started four straight games for the injured Charles Tillman, who the team hopes will return from a knee injury before the end of the regular season.

Benwikere appears likely to miss the remainder of the Panthers’ season, leaving Teddy Williams and the recently signed Cortland Finnegan to fill in alongside Josh Norman.

Benwikere’s been a key fixture in the Panthers’ secondary since arriving as a fifth-round pick, starting six games for Carolina last season. The 5-foot-11 San Jose State alum hasn’t enjoyed a particularly impressive second season, according to Pro Football Focus. The analytics site rates Benwikere as its No. 76 corner.

Finnegan and Williams, a fifth-year journeyman who has mostly played special teams, represent the Panthers’ only additional corners. With the team in dire need of depth at an already-depleted spot, Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer points out (on Twitter) the Panthers worked out Robert McClain and Bradley Fletcher before they signed Finnegan on Nov. 30.

NFC South Notes: Falcons, Panthers, Saints

August 2nd, 2014 at 8:49am CST by Matt Feminis

A head injury to veteran Dwight Lowery once again shifts attention to the Falcons’ group of inexperienced safeties, including Kemal Ishmael. He’s ready for the opportunity, writes ESPN’s Vaughn McClure.

Here’s a few more NFC South links:

After struggling mightily to stop the run last season, the Falcons made a concerted effort to get bigger in the defensive interior, and the increased bulk is noticeable, says AP writer Charles Odum.
Panthers rookie cornerback Bene Benwikere, who is competing with Charles Godfrey for the nickel back job, has stood out in camp because of his ball skills and playmaking, writes Jonathan Jones in the Charlotte Observer. Head coach Ron Rivera compared Benwikere to former Bears Pro Bowler, Nathan Vasher, who had a reputation as a ballhawk.
Kenjon Barner, a Panthers sixth-rounder in 2013, was a non-factor as a rookie. However, he’s bulked up nearly 15 pounds and improved in pass protection in an effort to hold down a roster spot behind DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, according to Tom Sorensen of the Charlotte Observer.
Saints undrafted free agent receiver Brandon Coleman “has easily been the Saints’ most improved player since OTAs,” writes ESPN’s Mike Triplett.

NFC South Notes: Panthers, Saints, Bucs

May 11th, 2014 at 12:58pm CST by Peter Sowards

The offseason losses outweighed the gains for the Panthers, and Carolina’s draft picks must grow up fast for the team to repeat as division champs, writes Charlotte Observer columnist Scott Fowler.

After losing Jordan Gross, Steve Smith, Captain Munnerlyn, Ted Ginn and Mike Mitchell, coach Ron Rivera and general manager Dave Gettleman hope first-round pick Kelvin Benjamin and a host of others can fill the large void.

“Status quo is not good enough,” Rivera said. “We’re not going to stand around and be just as good.

“We want to be better.”

More from the Panthers and the rest of the NFC South:

With the picks of North Carolina safety Tre Boston and San Jose State cornerback Bene’ Benwikere in the fourth and fifth rounds Saturday, the Panthers added depth to the secondary rather than taking a chance on a developmental offensive tackle to replace Jordan Gross, writes Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
The Observer put together an early two-deep depth chart for the Panthers, slotting in Byron Bell, Amini Silatolu, Ryan Kalil, Chris Scott and Nate Chandler as the team’s starting offensive line from left to right.
A recap of Times-Picayune reporter Larry Holder’s pick-by-pick analysis of the Saints‘ draft, passed along by NOLA.com’s Christopher Dabe.
Dabe aggregated a smattering of reviews of the Saints‘ draft, with most analysts giving general manager Micky Loomis a B or a C.
Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith believes his team has done all it can to be the the team that makes a leap, writes Tampa Bay Times columnist Gary Shelton.

Panthers Acquire Pick No. 148 From Vikings

May 10th, 2014 at 1:25pm CST by Luke Adams

The Panthers have moved up in the fifth round, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Carolina has acquired the 148th overall pick from the Vikings. Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer reports (via Twitter) that the Panthers used the pick to select San Jose State cornerback Bene’ Benwikere.

According to Goessling (via Twitter), Minnesota will moved back to 168th in the sixth round, and also picked up the 225th selection in the deal.

Extra Points: Allen, Jackson, Clowney, Spencer

March 26th, 2014 at 9:06pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets kept an eye on the Jared Allen situation but never made a firm offer before the defensive end signed with the Bears, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Meanwhile, Rapoport adds (link) that the Raiders actually offered more money than the Bears. Oakland was willing to give Allen a deal worth $9MM per year, but he believed Chicago was the best fit for him. What made Chicago such a good fit for the Pro Bowler? Rapoport says he chose the Bears in part because he has a great deal of faith in Jay Cutler‘s ability to win championships (link). Here’s tonight’s look around the NFL..

In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Field Yates explores the trade market for Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson, identifying the Jets, Raiders, Browns, and Panthers as trade partners that could make sense.
Texans ownership, coach Bill O’Brien, and General Manager Rick Smith will be meeting and dining with Jadeveon Clowney the night before his South Carolina pro day next week, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
Anthony Spencer remains on the Cowboys radar, but there’s no rush on the part of Dallas or any other club to sign him as the defensive end fights his way back from microfracture surgery on his knee, writes David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. Spencer’s representative Jordan Woy says his client, who underwent the surgery last fall and missed the final 13 games of the Cowboys season, is “structurally” sound and now working on his strength and conditioning.
Bernie Miklasz of the Post-Dispatch likes the Rams‘ signing of Shaun Hill as their veteran backup quarterback for 2014. Hill, he writes, has been one of the better backup QBs in the NFL since getting his first opportunity to start in a relief role for the 49ers in 2007 and now he’ll be reunited in St. Louis with Frank Cignetti, who was the QB coach with SF during Hill’s time there.
San Jose State cornerback Bené Benwikere, who had 14 interceptions over four seasons, penned a journal entry for USA Today Sports and disclosed that he’s set to work out for the Panthers on April 1st.
Scouts Walter Juliff and Chris Hall and quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson are expected to be the Cowboys‘ representatives at Johnny Manziel‘s pro day, tweets Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram.