Analyzing Chargers wide receivers on the roster bubble

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CARSON, CA – DECEMBER 09: Wide receiver Travis Benjamin #12 of the Los Angeles Chargers runs the ball in the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at StubHub Center on December 9, 2018 in Carson, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

Chargers receivers: Travis Benjamin

Benjamin, listed at 5’10” and 175 pounds, is the second-oldest of the wide receivers on the roster at age 29. The Chargers signed the speedster after the 2015 season in which he nearly totaled 1,000 receiving yards with the Johnny Manziel-led Cleveland Browns. Benjamin was not only supposed to offer the Chargers a deep threat, but also a special teams standout.

Benjamin struggled to see the field in 2018, trapped behind the likes of wide receivers Keenan Allen, Tyrell Williams, and Mike Williams on the depth chart. Early in the season, when Benjamin did get on the field, it wasn’t pretty, with a lot of drops and a lack of physicality on jump balls. So far, Benjamin hasn’t been given many opportunities to prove himself as the third option this preseason, but has shown some flashes in camp. In this video, Benjamin and Rivers connect on what looks to be a simple seam route, and Benjamin does a good job of getting up over the defender and getting both feet down in the back of the end zone.

#Chargers QB Philip Rivers throws a dime to WR Travis Benjamin in the end zone. Benjamin has had a solid training camp. pic.twitter.com/PR9N3J8Ni2

— Fernando Ramirez (@RealFRamirez) August 1, 2019

In theory, Benjamin should give the Chargers a weapon that can take the top off the defense and open things up underneath for Keenan Allen, but Mike Williams has already proved that he can do the same with better effect. With that in mind, it is going to be interesting to see how the addition of Inman, and the performance of Scott and Patton, can affect Benjamin’s position on the roster.