Green Bay Packers: 5 Non-Stars Who Can Make Lasting Impact in 2021
By Paul Bretl
Devin Funchess
As I recently wrote, I could see Devin Funchess being a big contributor in this Green Bay Packers’ offense, or I could see him being cut at the end of training camp–and really anywhere in between. The concern is that Funchess hasn’t played in a regular-season game since Week 1 of 2019 due to an injury that season and then opting out of the 2020 season. His last full season was three years ago in 2018.
Will he be able to shake off the rust quickly? How will he adapt to the Matt LaFleur offense? And will he be on the same page as Aaron Rodgers? All of those are questions we don’t have the answers to and are why there is so much unknown surrounding him.
However, during the 2017 and 2018 seasons with Carolina, Funchess hauled in nearly 1,400 yards, including 840 in 2018, and 12 total touchdowns at 13.0 yards per catch–that type of production doesn’t happen by accident. He’s a big-bodied receiver at 6’4″ – 225 pounds who can line up on the boundary or in the slot, creating mismatches against smaller nickel corners, as well as a red-zone weapon with his big frame and also on third downs.
Given the other options that the Packers have in the passing game, we likely won’t see that 2017 or even 2018 level of production from Funchess here in Green Bay, but if he can regain some of that old form, he will carve out a role in this offense and provide Rodgers with another option in the passing game.