Indianapolis Colts WR Devin Funchess
It might not be long before Indianapolis becomes the land for misfit toys. First, Frank Reich ended up there when they couldn’t find a coach. Then, Eric Ebron revived his career there with a Pro Bowl season. Entering year two under Reich, they bring in another misfit offensive toy in former Panthers receiver Devin Funchess.
Funchess has had a strange football career. At Michigan he was a tweener, playing both tight end and wide receiver and never fully settling into one spot. The Panthers bet on his size and knack for circus catches with the 41st overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. In Carolina, he flashed, but was never a consistent play-maker and didn’t evolve into a WR1 option.
In four seasons with the Panthers, Funchess caught 161 passes for 2,233 yards and 21 touchdowns. In 2017 he made some major plays and even looked like he could be a top-two WR for Carolina for years to come, but it didn’t last. He may not be a go-to top target, but he isn’t Kelvin Benjamin.
Last season Reich’s creativity and elite play-calling meshed with Andrew Luck’s All-Pro talent and the Colts were humming. They were able to revive Ebron and this year it should be Funchess if all goes right. Outside of TY Hilton, the Colts don’t have a proven WR option and Funchess will be locked into the WR2 spot as long as he’s healthy.
With his size, physicality, and contested catch ability, Funchess is a perfect compliment to Hilton. While Hilton is a dynamic field stretched, Funchess can be their power forward at receiver. A big red zone role is likely and with him on a one-year prove-it deal, Funchess will have all the motivation in the world.
Rob Paul is an AFC South writer for Pro Football Network. You can follow his work on Twitter @RobPaulNFL.
