Kelvin Benjamin 'wasn't really surprised' by trade from Panthers

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Speaking to reporters for the first time since being traded to the Buffalo Bills last week, wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin said Monday he was not surprised by the Carolina Panthers dealing him away after more than three seasons.

"To tell you the truth, I kind of really wasn't surprised," Benjamin said. "I could kind of feel that the offense was kind of going toward another direction.

"But this is a great opportunity for me. I'm excited -- brand-new city, brand-new team. When I got here, man, they had open arms. I'm loving it. I'm excited."

However, the fourth-year wideout did not know why the Panthers traded him, saying Monday, "Who knows?"

"It could have been multiple reasons," Benjamin said. "Money issues. Who knows? At the end of the day, I'm here, I'm happy, I'm excited. Right now, I'm just moving forward."

Asked if he was frustrated with the offense and needed a change of scenery, Benjamin responded, "Oh definitely."

"I thought about it," he said. "At first, when [the trade] first hit me, I was like, 'Ah.' Because that's all you know. I got drafted there."

Benjamin said he only had "two or three conversations" with Panthers interim general manager Marty Hurney since he replaced fired GM Dave Gettleman in July. But Benjamin added that Hurney "was new with me, so it was nothing personal."

The Bills acquired Benjamin for third- and seventh-round selections in the 2018 draft in a trade that was completed shortly before last Tuesday's NFL trade deadline. Bills coach Sean McDermott did not make Benjamin active for Buffalo's 34-21 loss last Thursday to the New York Jets because of limited practice and meeting time.

"I wanted to [play]," Benjamin said Monday. "I remember telling Coach I can. But I didn't want to be thrown in that fire like that."

Benjamin missed practice time earlier this season because of his left knee, which was surgically repaired after he tore his ACL and missed the entire 2015 season. Benjamin said Monday his knee was "definitely" 100 percent healthy.

"Since I got in, they put me on the plan," he said of the Bills' medical staff. "We've been attacking it, keeping the quad healthy, keeping all the muscles around that knee healthy."

Benjamin participated in his first full practice Monday and is expected to play in Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. However, McDermott cautioned Monday about Benjamin being viewed as more than one part of the Bills' 26th-ranked offense.

"A team is never made up of just one guy," he said. "So let's get over that. Let's get past that. He will integrate into what we're doing and add to what we're doing. We've got good players already in this building, and we were able to add another good player with Kelvin.

"So I expect him to embed into what we're doing and work on being, A, a good teammate and B, learning the system."

The Bills are 5-3 this season and currently in position to receive an AFC wild-card playoff berth.

"They've been winning without me," Benjamin said. "I'm just coming in, adding an extra target for [quarterback] Tyrod [Taylor]."