The Indianapolis Colts are bringing in wide receiver Devin Funchess as their first signing in free agency, per multiple reports.
Adding wide receiver depth was an objective the Colts were expected to achieve in free agency given their need entering the offseason. The question was which type of pass catcher they would be targeting.
With the Colts set to bring in Funchess, here are four things to know about the new wide receiver:
Former second-round pick with the Panthers
Funchess was a high draft pick coming out of Michigan where he played 37 games while recording 126 receptions for 1,175 yards and 15 touchdowns while averaging 13.5 yards per reception.
The Panthers selected him in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft hoping he would eventually become the top target for quarterback Cam Newton. His size coming out of college made him a potential receiver to work well on the boundary.
Funchess was the ninth wide receiver taken in the 2015 draft, which was the same year the Colts took Phillip Dorsett in the first round (sorry for the reminder).
Tenure with the Panthers
Suffice it to say, Funchess didn’t live up to the draft billing of a second-round pick. He couldn’t really separate himself in Carolina wide receiver corps while dealing with inconsistent play throughout the years.
His best season came in 2017 when he showed enough promise as a boundary receiver. It was the first time he started all 16 games while recording 63 catches for 840 yards and eight touchdowns, all of which were career highs.
He suffered a down year in 2018 catching 44 passes for 549 yards and four touchdowns.
Reported contract
The Colts were expected to be in play for a wide receiver that could potentially start on the boundary opposite T.Y. Hilton. However, it wasn’t clear what type of receivers they would target.
With the most salary cap space in the league, the Colts are reportedly giving Funchess a one-year deal worth a max of $13 million, per Chris Mortensen of ESPN.
While that looks like a lot of money, the Colts can spare it on a one-year deal for the 24-year-old Funchess. With the potential to be a productive boundary wide receiver in 2019, the Colts won’t be tied up in the coming years.
What Funchess brings to the field
While the Colts should be looking for a pass catcher that can creat yards after the catch, Funchess won’t be bringing a whole lot of that to the field. Instead, he brings a big body to the boundary and a potentially solid red-zone target.
Over his four-year career, Funchess has recorded 21 touchdown receptions. That doesn’t jump off of the page, but his size will help him work well on the intermediate routes while Hilton takes the top off the defense.
A possession receiver, Funchess brings plenty of upside given his age and size. If the Colts can figure out a way to scheme him correctly, like they did with Eric Ebron, he could be a useful target for Andrew Luck.
