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Carolina Panthers: Devin Funchess trots to Colts in free agency

By Danny Jaillet

CHARLOTTE, NC - DECEMBER 17: Eli Apple #25 of the New Orleans Saints intercepts a pass against Devin Funchess #17 of the Carolina Panthers at the end of the second quarter during their game at Bank of America Stadium on December 17, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - DECEMBER 17: Eli Apple #25 of the New Orleans Saints intercepts a pass against Devin Funchess #17 of the Carolina Panthers at the end of the second quarter during their game at Bank of America Stadium on December 17, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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Funchess will not be a member of the Carolina Panthers next season.

It appears that a veteran of the Carolina Panthers will no longer be with the team come next season. Per multiple media reports, wide receiver Devin Funchess has agreed to a new deal with the Indianapolis Colts. Only for one year, the deal is said to be worth $13 million.

It is hard to put into words exactly how much the Michigan product meant to this team. In what has been a four-year career to this point, he has caught 161 passes for 2,233 yards and 21 touchdowns. He has averaged 13.9 yards per catch and has a career-long reception of 52 yards. He recorded that in his rookie year of 2015.

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Coming into the 2019 campaign, many including myself thought that this would be his breakout year. However, it was a breakout year instead for the likes of D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel. Thus, Funchess took a backseat and those two shone brightly for the Carolina Panthers offense. It was an interesting paradox to see: two wide receivers once playing the role that Funchess used to occupy. Now, the former will look to start his career anew as he goes to an offense led by Andrew Luck.

Although it may seem as though his Carolina Panthers career ended prematurely, Funchess no doubt holds a spot in the Carolina Panthers history books. His receiving yards put him eighth all-time among Panthers receivers in that category. His 161 catches put him 11th all-time in Carolina Panthers history. His 311 targets put him seventh in that category. Those are some pretty impressive numbers.

Sure, it seemed as though he did not live up to his potential at times, but for the most part he was a dependable receiver that the team could count on. There is no doubt that he had big-play capability, it was just a matter of navigating through the injuries and, particularly when Kelvin Benjamin was here, trying to amass targets.

It will be certainly strange to see him in a new uniform next season. Hopefully, he finds success in Indianapolis. I certainly wish him the best as I truly believe he can still be an elite receiver. He certainly provided the Carolina Panthers with exciting moments over the course of his tenure here. Especially in a dome, that could work to his favor in Indianapolis. With Carolina playing Indianapolis in that dome next season, the addition of Funchess should make for a fun match-up.

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