Kelvin Benjamin's 5th-Year Contract Option Activated by Panthers

The Carolina Panthers exercised the fifth-year option in wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin's contract Tuesday, the team announced.   

ESPN's Adam Schefter was the first to report the move, and Albert Breer of The MMQB later confirmed.

After missing the entire 2015 season due to injury, Benjamin bounced back to produce 63 receptions for 941 yards and seven touchdowns in 2016 as one of quarterback Cam Newton's top targets.

He wasn't quite able to return to the form he showed as a rookie in 2014, though, when he registered 73 grabs for 1,008 yards and nine scores.

The Panthers selected Benjamin with the No. 28 overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft out of Florida State as part of a first round that also saw receivers Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandin Cooks get taken.

Benjamin has put up solid numbers when healthy, but Panthers head coach Ron Rivera recently expressed some concern that the wideout showed up to voluntary workouts overweight, as seen in this video courtesy of WSOC-TV's Matt Harris:

While tight end Greg Olsen is Newton's most reliable weapon in the passing game, Benjamin's presence is crucial due to a lack of established options at wide receiver behind him.

Devin Funchess is still trying to hit his stride, free-agent acquisitions Russell Shepard and Charles Johnson are question marks and second-round pick Curtis Samuel isn't a traditional wideout.

Those factors are likely to make Benjamin a key figure in Carolina's offense once again over the next two seasons and potentially beyond provided the two sides can agree to a long-term deal.