CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- It took Kelvin Benjamin going on crutches last season for Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton to lose his.
Coach Ron Rivera wants it to stay that way.
Benjamin is on pace with rehabilitation from surgery to repair a torn ACL suffered during 2015 training camp to resume his position as Carolina’s top wide receiver.
Rivera went so far last week at the NFL owners meeting as to say the 2014 first-round pick would be one of the league’s elite receivers this season.
Rivera just doesn’t want the 6-foot-5, 245-pound Benjamin to resume his position as a crutch for Newton.