Team: | Free Agent None |
Ht / Wt: | 5'9" / 207 lb. |
College: | Arizona State |
Age: | 22 |
Born: | April 13, 1999 |
Drafted: | 2020 / Rd. 7 (222) |
Draft Team: | ARI |
Benjamin spent the entire 2020 season on Arizona's roster but never played in a game.
Analysis: The 2020 seventh-round pick was a healthy scratch all year, with Kenyan Drake playing 15 games and Chase Edmonds suiting up for all 16. Depth running back D.J. Foster also made 10 appearances, logging 25 snaps on offense and 115 on special teams. With Drake and Foster both scheduled to become unrestricted free agents this offseason, Benjamin could have an opening to make an impression during OTAs and minicamp.
Coach Kliff Kingsbury said Wednesday that Benjamin has recently been a healthy scratch due to his lack of ability to contribute on special teams, Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic reports.
Analysis: Kingsbury specified that Arizona's third running back needs need to be able to play on special teams, which is why D.J. Foster and Jonathan Ward backed up Chase Edmonds last weekend. Benjamin has yet to be made active for a game this season, and Kenyan Drake (ankle) now appears to be nearing a return, so his window of opportunity could be closing.
Benjamin (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Dolphins.
Analysis: Benjamin has yet to be active as a professional, even with Kenyan Drake (ankle) sidelined in this one. Instead, the Cardinals have deactivated the 2020 seventh-round pick and instead will roll with a backfield led by Chase Edmonds, with D.J. Foster and Jonathan Ward available in a pinch.
Benjamin was inactive during Sunday's 31-21 loss to the Panthers.
Analysis: The Cardinals have leaned upon Kenyan Drake (67 attempts) and Chase Edmonds (16 attempts) for 100 percent of the team's rushing attempts this season, as Benjamin remains in search of his first NFL appearance. The seventh-round draft choice from this past April's draft was not afforded preseason play to exhibit his skills in game action, but he showed enough during training camp to enter 2020 as Arizona's third option at running back. Barring injury in front of him on the depth chart, however, it appears Benjamin is not in line for any significant work heading into a Week 5 matchup against the Jets' bottom-12 rush defense.
Benjamin won the third and final running back spot on the Cardinals' initial regular-season roster, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Analysis: Benjamin was selected in the seventh round of this year's draft and entered a competition with holdover D.J. Foster and undrafted rookie Jonathan Ward. With no preseason action to speak of, Benjamin goes into the season as an unknown entity behind starter Kenyan Drake and his direct backup Chase Edmonds. Looking at his collegiate career, Benjamin ended his time at Arizona State with back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns, reeled in 82 of 109 (75.2 percent) passes, and scored 31 touchdowns in 34 games.
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