Green Bay Packers: Pros and Cons to Signing Devin Funchess
What strengths and weaknesses does Devin Funchess bring to the Green Bay Packers as the newest member of their wide receiver corps?
The Green Bay Packers finally made a free agent signing at wide receiver! Only, it wasn’t quite the move everyone expected, as the team agreed to sign Devin Funchess.
Funchess was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the 41st overall selection back in the 2015 NFL Draft. He was a big name coming out of the University of Michigan, but hasn’t quite lived up to the hype throughout his professional career.
His best season came in 2017 when he posted 63 receptions for 840 yards and eight touchdowns. Unfortunately, he’s failed to surpass 45 receptions or 550 yards in any of his other four seasons. He also broke his collarbone in Week 1 of 2019 and missed the rest of the year.
In order to get a better understanding of Funchess, here are some pros and cons to his game:
Pro: Size
At 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, Funchess is another (keyword) huge target for Aaron Rodgers. He knows how to use his body well and box out defenders in order to high-point the ball. He played tight end during his freshman and sophomore seasons at Michigan and proved he had decent enough speed to move to wide receiver for his final year in college.
Con: Repetition
Despite Funchess’s size advantage, the Packers already have a number of big-bodied wide receivers including Jake Kumerow (6-4, 209), Allen Lazard (6-5, 227), Equanimeous St. Brown (6-5, 214) and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (6-4, 206). Although it’s clear general manager Brian Gutekunst likes his tall receivers, he desperately needs to add speed to his skill positions, instead, doubling-down on size with this signing. He’s had at least four touchdown receptions in every season except 2019 (when he only played in part of one game).
Pro: Low-Risk
Although the contract details have yet to be released, it’s expected Funchess won’t command a high salary. A year ago, he signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Indianapolis Colts, but don’t expect him to get anywhere close to that money. It’s likely to include a lot of incentives and non-guaranteed money; meaning the Packers should be able to release him without much of a penalty.
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Con: Lack of Speed
In comparison to the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs (the two teams who made this year’s Super Bowl), the Packers are a team full of sloths. They desperately needed to add speed and skill to their pass-catchers this offseason and Funchess is the opposite. He ran a 4.7 40-yard dash at the NFL combine and has struggled to create separation throughout his career. Although he’s a serviceable player, he doesn’t bring anything to the table the Packers didn’t already have.