Tag: Devin Funchess

My understanding it’s a one-year, $2.5 million deal for Devin Funchess with the #Packers — $1M signing bonus, $1.2M base salary, $50K workout bonus and $15,625 for each game active. Another $3.75M available in incentives, so max is $6.25M. https://t.co/r8Ghgpc2Ty

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 28, 2020

The contract for new Green Bay Packers receiver Devin Funchess is for one year and includes a decent signing bonus and plenty of incentives.

According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the one-year deal is worth $2.5 million in base with a max of $6.25 million, which includes a $1 million signing bonus, $1.2 million base salary and $3.75 million in incentives.

His cap hit in 2020 will be $2,265,625.

The deal isn’t worth the veteran’s minimum as some projected, but it’s packed with incentives and won’t cost the Packers a significant amount unless Funchess has a big 2020 season. Only the signing bonus is guaranteed ($1,000,000). However, the Packers are certainly banking on Funchess making the team and contributing in a significant way this season.

Funchess played in only one game last season, so just $15,625 of his per-game roster bonuses will initially count against the 2020 cap. It can go to $2.5 million if he’s available for all 16 games (total of $250,000).

For reference, Geronimo Allison counted $2,800,000 against the Packers’ cap in 2019.

The structure:

Year	Base	Signing	Roster	Workout	Total
2020	$1,200,000	$1,000,000	$15,625	$50,000	$2,215,625

[lawrence-related id=41606,41586,41569]

The Green Bay Packers added a free agent receiver on Tuesday, agreeing to sign former Carolina Panthers receiver Devin Funchess.

A second-round pick of the Panthers in 2015, Funchess played 61 games in Carolina – catching 164 passes for 2,233 yards and 21 touchdowns – before signing with the Indianapolis Colts on a one-year deal in 2019. He broke his collarbone in Week 1 and didn’t play again.

Here’s what the Packers are getting in Funchess:

What he can do

– Big frame (6-4, 225). Can use size to physically overwhelm defensive backs at the catch point. Big catch radius provides ability to get the ball away from his body. At times, ball skills are spectacular

– Unpredictable from snap to snap. Can look like a monster on one play, but high-level play only shows up in brief flashes. Drops too many easy balls. Will disappear for long stretches. Quarterbacks need a lot of patience to work with him

– Hands are a major issue. Focus drops litter his tape. Inconsistent at the catch point despite size

– Really good at working through contact downfield, especially on in-breaking routes

– Not a consistent man-to-man beater and is almost always dealing with tight passing windows

– Struggles at times getting off press coverage. Cornerbacks can get hands on him and redirect him toward the sideline, shutting down the route. Not fast or quick enough to win consistent free releases

– Not on the same page as the quarterback on way too many snaps. Might struggle with post-snap reads

– Delivers impact plays on back-shoulder throws. Good body control near the sideline

– Not great after the catch. Strong but not elusive. Rarely breaks tackles but will usually fall forward

– Lacks the deep speed to stack cornerbacks and create late separation

– Surprisingly good on double moves. Can sell the inside route and take it upfield, creating big-play opportunities

– Low catch percentage (third-lowest among receivers with 300 or more targets since 2015) looks like a result of inconsistent hands and route-running, erratic quarterback play and up and down confidence.

– Might be an asset running up the seam from the slot. Provides a big target between the hashes

– Wins in the red zone on quick in-breakers and also showed some savvy on extended plays

How he fits

This is the difficult part. Funchess has great size and physicality, but the Packers already have a couple of big, physical receivers on the roster. He’s also not particularly fast or explosive, and his ability in the vertical passing game is limited. If healthy and properly motivated, Funchess is an upgrade on Geronimo Allison as a situational receiver. He might also provide another option in the scoring area, especially after the departure of Jimmy Graham. Still, Funchess doesn’t solve the need for quickness in the slot, and he’s not going to transform the look of the passing offense with threatening vertical skills. It’s hard to argue he’s a legitimate No. 2, which would make him redundant as another third- or fourth-caliber receiver. His unpredictability from down to down and game to game might clash with the perfectionist at quarterback, too. Funchess looks like the wide receiver equivalent of Jermichael Finley. The talent has too often been overshadowed by the other stuff.

Impact of adding him

Minimal. The Packers are now all but guaranteed to let Geronimo Allison walk in free agency. But in no way should signing Funchess prevent the Packers from diving headfirst into a deep and talented draft class of receivers. In fact, GM Brian Gutekunst should still entertain the idea of drafting at least two receivers from this class – one early, and one in the middle rounds. It’s that good, and adding more competition at the position is absolutely vital. If Funchess can get back on track and become a contributor, the Packers will have an experienced and low-cost pass-catcher capable of allowing the rookies to ease into new roles. If he can’t, he’ll likely be packing his bags in at the end of August and looking for a new team. More than likely, the Packers still need to draft a receiver who can play right away.

Receivers starting flying off the shelves in free agency, so the Green Bay Packers did some panic shopping Tuesday.

The team agreed to terms with free agent receiver Devin Funchess.

It’s difficult to see how Funchess fills a need in Green Bay, even for the receiver-needy Packers. He has good size (6-4, 225), but the Packers depth chart at receiver is already littered with big bodies. He’s not measurably fast or athletic. He has struggled to separate from man-to-man coverage and catch the football throughout his NFL career. True consistency for Funchess has remained elusive.

Between 2015 and 2018, only two receivers in the NFL with more than 300 total targets caught a lower percentage of those targets than the 51.8 percent Funchess caught with the Carolina Panthers.

Not surprisingly, the Panthers moved on after his rookie contract expired. The Indianapolis Colts did the same after Funchess broke his collarbone in Week 1 and missed the rest of the 2019 season.

The Packers are taking a low-risk flier on a veteran who played in one game last season. Best case scenario, he emerges as a legit contributor for the Packers passing offense. Worst case, he’s a bust and he’s cut during camp. As is often the case, he’ll probably wind up somewhere in between. And as long as his addition doesn’t impact what the Packers are planning to do in the draft, there should be no long-term consequences of signing him, even if he’s no good come August.

It’s just an underwhelming signing. To be fair, the free-agent class of pass-catchers was nothing if not underwhelming. The Packers decided against paying good money in the receiver and tight end market and settled on a former second-round pick at little cost to add to the competition. To that end, it’s hard to argue against the thinking.

But now the Packers must nail the draft, both at receiver and likely at tight end. GM Brian Gutekunst must find a complementary piece (or two?) for Davante Adams and Allen Lazard, who are still the two best receivers on the roster. The offense needs a quick playmaker capable of getting open on his own. And possibly even a legit vertical threat if Marquez Valdes-Scantling can’t rebound.

Funchess is a known name, but his first five seasons suggest he’s a middling talent who won’t drastically the team’s biggest need on offense. The Packers need to do more at receiver. They likely will.