NFL Notes: Streaming, Bengals, Panthers

Streaming

Earlier this offseason, the NFL reached a $50 million deal with Amazon for the non-exclusive rights to stream NFL games starting this season.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft explained that they believe the future is centered around streaming and they’re interested to see how things go with Amazon in the coming months.

“There has been a dramatic shift,” Kraft said, via the New York Post. “This year we’re with Amazon and for us the future is OTT.

“We’ll be very interested to see how Amazon goes as it’s behind the paywall. The thing we have to be careful of is millennials. They don’t watch TV, they don’t have TVs or subscribe to cable. So we have to bring that audience in. Partly it’s done through fantasy games and linking to that. Over-the-top is a great opportunity.”

Bengals

Bengals offensive line coach Paul Alexander mentioned that he believes Andre Smith has a chance to be a terrific guard for them after spending his entire career up to this point at offensive tackle.

“I think Andre has a chance to be terrific at guard,” Alexander said, via Bengals.com. “He’s getting to start from the beginning this year with the base techniques and then learn the offense as he goes. If we all of the sudden picked him up a week before the season and said, ‘Go play right guard,’ I don’t think he could do it. But going through this progression I think he’ll be fine.”

Panthers

There was a lot made about Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin reporting to the team overweight this offseason, but GM Dave Gettleman doesn’t sound too worried about his conditioning.

“This is what frustrates me with the media today,” Gettleman said, via Panthers.com. “They go to DEFCON 5 on everything.

“Kelvin Benjamin being overweight was not a big deal. It’s was April 17. Can we all get a grip?”

Gettleman added that he isn’t concerned about Benjamin’s speed, as his ability to win contested passes makes up for it.

“Kelvin’s speed is vertical,” Gettleman said. “He makes it up in a different way.

“(His) ability to make people miss is to run through them.”

Gettleman added that they’re much faster on offense with the additions of Christian McCaffrey and Curtis Samuel.

“Are we faster now? Yes, absolutely. When those two get in the open field, oh wow, here we go,” Gettleman said. “Those guys can break some ankles.”