Olsen defends Newton from Benjamin's 'weird' criticisms

Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen has been Cam Newton's security blanket for the past seven seasons, catching over 400 passes from the star quarterback.

So, arguably, no one else is better placed to evaluate Newton's skill set.

In response to former Panthers wideout Kelvin Benjamin ripping Newton for an apparent lack of football knowledge and accuracy, Olsen said on Sunday the 2016 NFL MVP was "the best thing that's ever happened to my career."

"It's kind of weird," Olson said of Benjamin's criticism, according to NFL.com's Austin Knoblauch. "I think we all felt the same way. We all wish Kelvin the best. Obviously, things change, but, again, we've talked at length about how guys around here feel about Cam. Obviously, you don't like people going after your quarterback, but I think Cam knows how the guys around here feel about him."

Related: Bills' McDermott unhappy with Benjamin over Panthers bashing

Olsen added that Benjamin was "a good teammate" when in Carolina, but hopes that the Buffalo Bills receiver will "embrace his new opportunity rather than go personal on it."

The Panthers selected Benjamin in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft, hoping he could form a productive long-term relationship with Newton following the departure of franchise legend Steve Smith.

However, after a promising 1,008-yard rookie campaign, Benjamin struggled to establish himself as the Panthers' No. 1 receiving threat and was shipped off to Buffalo at last season's trade deadline.

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