Jordan Matthews and a third-round pick in August. That same month, the Bills also traded wideout Sammy Watkins and a sixth-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for cornerback E.J. Gaines and a second-round selection.

Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports and Peter Schrager of Fox Sports noted Benjamin's connections to Buffalo's front office and coaching staff:

Meanwhile, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported former Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman wanted to extend Benjamin before he was fired, a move that some in the front office reportedly didn't want. Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk further elaborated:

Benjamin also walked off the practice field last Wednesday without the training staff, per Person, and didn't practice Thursday. He said he was frustrated that he was still experiencing pain in his surgically repairedknee, according to Person. However, Person noted he had never before seen an injured player leave without the training staff.

A few Panthers players, including Thomas Davis and Captain Munnerlyn, didn't appear thrilled with the trade:

Golden State Warriors star and Charlotte native Steph Curry didn't understand the deal, either:

But the Panthers aren't devoid of weapons without Benjamin. Devin Funchess has taken a positive step forward this season, while dual-threat rookies Christian McCaffrey and Curtis Samuel are threats in the passing game, too. Add in the eventual return of tight end Greg Olsen, who can return from injured reserve as early as Week 12, and quarterback Cam Newton hasn't been left with a bare cupboard in the aftermath of the Benjamin trade.