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.