The Los Angeles Chargers and wide receiver Travis Benjamin have agreed to separate from each other, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media. Benjamin’s base salary in 2020 will be canceled on March 8, leaving the team with a dead cap of $ 1.5 million. Benjamin had signed a two-year extension worth $ 8.5 million in April 2019.
In the past two seasons, the 30-year-old has missed 15 games combined for various injuries. He was placed on the casualty reserve on October 17 with a quadruple injury. The Miami product was a fourth-round selection from the Cleveland Browns in the 2012 NFL Draft. He had 109 receptions for 1,683 yards and 10 touchdowns in four seasons with the Browns. In four seasons with L.A., Benjamin has racked up 99 receptions for 1,460 yards and nine touchdowns.
According to Spotrac.com, the franchise has the 13th largest salary cap ($ 51.75 million) in the NFL this off-season. Veteran Tyrod Taylor is expected to start quarterback unless the team pursues other options in the draft, free agency or trade. The Chargers have several needs this offseason, but the decision to separate from Benjamin opens the door to the selection of the great receiver of Alabama, Henry Ruggs III, at No. 6 in the general classification. Ruggs has a lot of speed and Los Angeles appreciated an option below in their attack.
Benjamin will be a free agent when the new championship year begins March 18. Some of the other notable broad receptor free agents tentatively include A.J. Green, Emmanuel Sanders, Amari Cooper, Robby Anderson, Josh Gordon, Randall Cobb and Nelson Agholor.