The Green Bay Packers haven’t given quarterback Aaron Rodgers much top-end talent when it comes to his wide receivers. The team hasn’t selected a wide receiver in the first round during his whole tenure and the only one they selected in the second round was Davante Adams. However, they did draft a third-round wide in Amari Rodgers this year and have Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Devin Funchess on the roster as well.
Now, Adams is an otherworldly player. He is as dominant as they come and arguably the best wide receiver in the league, but Green Bay has been unable to find him a running mate for the majority of his career.
The team selected Amari Rodgers in the third round of the 2021 draft to help give Rodgers another weapon to throw the ball to. The team still has Lazard and Valdes-Scantling in the fold as well. The main player to keep an eye on for the Packers is Devin Funchess.
Funchess was selected in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. Funchess looked like he was breaking out in 2017 after playing in all 16 games and catching 63 passes for 840 yards and eight touchdowns. Unfortunately, he has not come close to those numbers since.
Funchess has caught only 47 passes for 581 yards and four touchdowns in 15 games since between the Panthers and Indianapolis Colts. He has battled injuries, breaking his collarbone in the season opener with the Colts in 2019 before opting out of the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
His lack of special teams play will put him behind the eight-ball, as the end of roster guys usually participate in kick and punt coverage. But, at only 27 years old, Funchess could still have plenty in the tank. As long as he can prove that he is healthy, he should be able to crack the team’s roster.
While he may currently low on the Packers’ depth chart, Funchess could become a useful piece for the Packers. Standing 6’4”, he can be a huge target for whoever is under center in the red zone. Funchess can also break off big plays as he averages 13.8 yards per reception in his career.
The Packers had high hopes for Funchess when they signed him before he opted out. He looks like he has put in the work to remain ready for 2021, and if that translates during practices, he should get an opportunity.
Never count out a player that is motivated by his family to perform as Devin Funchess is. With his focus solely back on football, he is ready to prove that he can still help a team win games on the field.
